Memory
by WishFlower
Summary: Casey wakes up with no memory of the past ten years and tries to fit into a grown up world when she feels fifteen. Dasey.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N okay i found this in my files from a long time ago. Its half finished so i thought i might as well put it here. The more dasey in the world the better right? **

**Prologue:**

_Obnoxiously loud music came from Derek's room. Casey stood on her bed and banged on the wall for him to turn it down, when he didn't, she turned up her own music. _

_She grinned and danced around her new room as she set up her things. This room was a lot bigger than the one she had to share with Lizzie but the wall colour was so gross she'd have to paint it soon. She wondered if Emily wouldn't mind stopping at the hardware store at the mall tomorrow. _

_Derek barged into her room and said loudly, "Can you please turn down your terrible chick music?" _

"_Only when you turn down your music!" Casey shouted back. _

"_Can you _both _turn down your music?" Lizzie shouted from the doorway. _

"_SMEREK!" They heard a little voice shout from down the hall. _

"_Now look what you did! You woke up Marti!" Derek shouted. _

"_You mean you did!" Casey shouted back. _

_Derek glared at her than went to comfort Marti. _

"_Can you please be quiet? I was asleep too." Lizzie said._

_Casey turned off her music and crawled into bed. It was louder than she was used to at night, she could hear Edwin walking above her in the attic and Derek talking to Marti. She didn't know how she was going to stay here for another day let alone for the rest of her high school career. _

_The last thing she thought before she fell asleep was that Derek Venturi was the most annoying guy in the history of the world. _

**A/N this is just the prologue. Im sure it doesn't make sense but the next chapter is coming. And just so you know, this is the last seen of the very first episode the one about the bedroom. I just expanded. Toodles and please review! **


	2. Chapter One

**A/N okay the first official chapter. This should hopefully make more sense. Happy reading and i don't own anything! **

"Look at that, her lips moved! She must be coming around!"

Who was that and what are they doing in my room? Casey thought to herself. She tried to ask them who they are but it felt like her mouth wasn't working properly. And neither was the rest of her body! It felt like she had been frozen and was just now thawing. She finally opened her eyes.

Where was she? This wasn't her bedroom. This wasn't any room in her house! Was this some stupid prank Derek pulled on her in revenge for getting the best bedroom? She didn't think he was _that _upset by her getting their parents old bedroom! It's not like he actually had to move out of his!

She turned her head to the left to see a young woman standing by the door to the room.

"Oh, good you're awake! We've been so worried to you Ms. MacDonald!" The woman said.

"Who are you?" She could finally ask.

"I'm Anne, your nurse." She said kindly.

Nurse. So this was a hospital. Now that Casey was paying attention, she could see all the machinery and wires and tubes and boring paintings that hospitals had. Why the hell was she in a hospital? The last thing she remembered was falling asleep in her new bedroom.

"Why am I in a hospital?" She asked Anne.

"You - you don't remember? Ms. MacDonald, you were in a car accident, you've been unconscious for a week! I'm going to get the doctor!" Anne said before she hurried from the room.

Casey wasn't in a car accident! She hasn't done anything! Derek wouldn't ….. purposely injure her in her sleep, would he? She was disturbed by that for a few minutes before she remembered that he was only fifteen and couldn't drive her anywhere and no way would her mom and George take her somewhere in her sleep. The nurse must have the wrong person. But that still didn't explain what she was doing in a hospital….

The nurse came back with a doctor. The doctor pulled up a chair beside her bed and sat down.

"Hello, Casey. Can you tell me your full name?" The doctor asked.

"My name is Casey Ashley MacDonald."

"Good, my name is Doctor Connors. Can you tell me what day it is?" He said.

"It is September 10th, 2005." She responded.

The doctor and the nurse looked at each other than back at Casey.

"Ms. MacDonald today is December 1st, 2015." Doctor Connors told her quietly.

"No it's not! Today is the day I got my own bedroom! I just finished my first week at my new school! I have plans to go to the mall with Emily tomorrow! I think I know what day it is!" She cried.

"Ms. MacDonald, you've been in a car accident. You have what's called Selective Retrograde Amnesia. It means you forget a period of your life after a hit to the head. It's not uncommon, but it is pretty rare. You have forgotten the last ten years of your life. It _is _December 1st, 2015." He said.

"N-no! It can't be!" Casey exclaimed. Her chest was constricting, it was becoming hard to breathe. She started hyperventilating and the nurse quickly passed her a paper bag. After several minutes of deep breathing into it, Casey had calmed down a little.

"Here, Ms. MacDonald. Why don't you take a look at this?" Nurse Anne passed her a newspaper.

Casey grabbed the paper from her hands and looked at the date.

December 1st, 2015

_Oh, God…._

"This – this isn't a prank?" Casey asked nervously.

"No ma'am." The nurse said to her.

"_Ma'am? _Wait a second! Am I _old?" _Without waiting for an answer, Casey jumped out of the hospital bed and into the bathroom that was in her room.

She gasped when she saw her reflection. Her face looked so different! She had a bandage on her forehead and a couple scratches on her cheeks from the accident. Her hair was long and wavy and light brown with blonde streaks in it. She was a few inches taller it looked like and she looked thinner as well. Or maybe it was just that she was more toned now. Even her chest looked a little bigger. But she did look older. She actually looked _ten years older _than when she last looked in a mirror.

"What happened to me?" Casey whispered as she lifted a strand of honey coloured hair.

"You grew up?" The nurse said from the doorway. "Doctor Connors just went to finish some paper work. He told me to tell you that you will probably be able to leave sometime this afternoon and he brought back your things."

Anne handed her a bag of neatly folded clothes. Casey shut the bathroom door and changed into her clothes. They fit her well. She was wearing black yoga pants and a tight blue T-shirt. Also in the bag was her purse. She dug around her purse hoping for some clues about her life. The purse held a green ponytail, a wallet, a cell phone, a compact mirror, a set of keys, a tube of lip gloss. Nothing unusual. She opened her phone to see that her wallpaper was of her and a dark haired man smiling.

Casey went back into the main room and asked who the man was.

The nurse helped her back onto the bed. "He's your boyfriend, Truman French. He's been to visit you every day on his lunch break. He actually should be here any minute." She said.

"But I don't remember him…." Casey said quietly.

Just then a man walked into the room. He was tall and thin with short dark hair and dark eyes.

"How is she today, Alice?" He asked.

A flicker of irritation crossed Anne's usually kind face. "My name is Anne, sir. And your girlfriend is awake."

The man, Truman French, looked over to the bed for the first time.

"Casey! Oh, honey, you're awake! And you're dressed too! Is she allowed to go now?" He directed the last part to the nurse.

"Yes she is. But here is a prescription for some pain killers that she can take twice a day for headache relief." Nurse Anne said and passed Casey her coat. Well, she figured it was her coat but she had never seen it before.

Truman meant to grab her hand but she pulled away. Even if they were dating, she wouldn't hold his hand if she didn't remember him.

Truman looked at her confused.

"Oh, did I forget to mention that Ms. MacDonald has forgotten the last ten years of her life?" Anne said.

"She has? Isn't there anything you can do?" Truman asked.

"Just take her to places she has been before, show her pictures and home videos, remind her of memories. Besides that, there really isn't much else you can do. Her memories will either come back on their own or not at all. It could be years or never before she remembers her life." The nurse said sadly.

"I'll help you, Casey. I love you and I'll help you remember that you love me too." He said to her. She nodded. He seemed like a good man, she was lucky to have someone so kind to look after her when she didn't remember anything. When he took her hand again, she let him.

**A/N okay tell me what you think guys! Please review! **


	3. Chapter Two

**A/N hey guys thanks for the reviews and alerts and stuff, it means a lot. So heres the next chapter and i do not own LWD. Even though i wish i did.**

Truman led her out of the hospital and towards his car.

"Wait." Casey stopped and said. "Where are we?"

"Oh, I'm so sorry I forgot. We live in Toronto in an apartment together." Truman helped her into his convertible Porsche (the roof was up) inside the underground parking garage. He started driving and turned on the radio.

A song came on that Casey had never heard before.

"Oh, this song is so old!" Truman said before he turned it off.

"Do I work?" Casey asked.

"Yeah, you are a teacher at the Toronto High School for the Performing Arts. You mostly teach the dance classes but I think you also teach a class in musical theatre." He told her.

"Wow! That sounds awesome! What do you do?"

"I'm a real estate agent. I sell lofts and apartments. My companies called Paradise Homes. In fact, I'm very late so I can only drop you off at home. But we have some photo albums you can look at and you can just call Victoria if you have any questions." He pulled into another underground parking lot and tossed his keys to a valet and walked Casey to the elevator.

"Who's Victoria?" Casey asked.

He gave her a strange look, "Victoria your cousin. She's also your best friend."

"_Icky Vicky? _No, that can't be true, we hate each other. I haven't even seen her since I left my old school." Casey exclaimed.

Truman looked at his watch and gasped, "Oh God, I'm later than I thought! Okay, you're going to have to go up by yourself. We live on the top floor, the penthouse. You should have the key; it's the big sliver one. I'll be back at five." And before she realized it, he had kissed her cheek and left.

Casey felt a little awkward being kissed by a man she didn't know. But she did know him, she reminded herself, she just didn't remember him. She got into the elevator and pushed the button.

An older woman rushed into the elevator just as the doors were closing.

"Oh, hello Casey! Me and Mr. Spots were just out for a walk, but the snow was so cold, we decided to come in early. Say hello to Casey Mr. Spots!" The woman waved her little dog in Casey's face. She continued on with her mindless chatter until she got to her own floor.

When the elevator dinged, she got out. The hallway was empty of doors except for one at the end. Casey assumed it was hers, and when she tried the key in the lock, it fit.

She opened the door and squealed in delight. The apartment was exactly in her style! The floor was a light honey colored wood and the walls were painted wine red. There were candles everywhere and a big beige couch with soft looking cushions. On the table beside the couch was a lamp and a stack of books which included all of Casey's favorites.

Across the couch was a fancy looking electric fireplace with a super flat screen TV on the mantle.

She hung up her coat and put her purse on the bench beside the door. She walked through the empty doorframe into the kitchen. There was a cozy square table at one end of the table and marble counters at the other. The cupboards were the color of toasted marshmallows. Casey ran her finger over the stainless steel fridge and ceramic top oven. Everything looked so clean and cozy and just so Casey!

She went into the guest bedroom which looked clean and unused, then into the guest washroom which looked the same. She remembered passing a washroom next to the kitchen and assuming that the master bedroom had a bathroom, she wondered why an apartment needed so many bathrooms for so few people.

On her way to the master bedroom, she passed another guestroom and wanted to know if she and Truman had guests often to fill those empty rooms. She pushed open the door to the biggest bedroom and gasped. The room was big with a luxurious looking king sized bed with royal blue sheets. Across from the bed was another flat screen with a book shelf on either side. There was a massive window which looked out onto all of Toronto.

Casey noticed three other doors in the room. One that said 'Him' in fancy cursive writing, one that said 'Her' in the same writing and one that said nothing at all. She pushed open the door that said nothing to reveal the nicest looking bathroom she had ever seen. It had a glass shower and an old fashioned claw-footed tub with two sinks and marble covering every surface. The 'Her' room was actually a gigantic closet. It was the size of Casey's old room and had row upon row of clothes. There was also an entire wall dedicated to shoes. Casey almost swooned with delight.

She skipped around the apartment looking at things and playing with things. She found a cupboard with three photo albums in them. She flipped through them on the couch and for some reason they made her uneasy. There were absolutely no pictures of her family. Except for her cousin Vicky, it was like her family didn't exist. Every picture was of people she didn't recognize in places she had never seen before. She had no pictures of her childhood, the photos started just after she had graduated from University it looked like. The lack of familiar things made her miss her mother. She called the house that she remembered moving into and waited as the phone rang.

A cold, hesitant voice answered, "Hello?" It said.

"Mom? Mom, it's me, Casey! I don't know if you heard, but I had a car accident and was unconscious up to this morning! And I can't remember anything past the day I moved into my new room at George's house!" Casey cried.

Silence, and then, "Yes, we heard. It must be very hard for you and….. Truman."

Even though she knew it was her mother, it sounded nothing like her. The woman on the phone sounded cold and harsh and impatient.

"Well, it is but he is so kind and helpful. He is at work right now, but he should be back later and he left out some photo albums for me. But I noticed I had no pictures of you guys, do you know what happened to them?" Casey asked.

The phone was silent again until Nora said, "I have to go now, Casey, Joey is acting up again."

"Oh, well, okay. Bye then. Wait! Who's Joey?"

"You – you don't remember Joey?"

"No mom, I can't remember anything since I've been fifteen."

"Joey is your brother. He's seven now."

"Oh my God! You and George had a kid?" Casey exclaimed.

"Casey, I have to go, but – but why don't I send Lizzie to see you? She's studying at U of T; she could be there in a few minutes." Nora sounded hesitant as if she expected Casey to scream 'no!' and slam down the phone.

"That sounds great! Thanks so much, mom. I know I can always count on you." Casey said sincerely.

"Good bye, Casey." was all that Nora said before Casey heard the click of the phone line being disconnected.

Casey cleaned up the albums and put a pot of tea on while she waited for her little sister to come.

It was about a half hour later when Casey heard the doorbell ring. She ran to the door and swung it open to see her sister again.

The woman standing there was not Casey McDonald's sister. Well, she was but she wasn't the Lizzie Casey remembered. She was tall, about the same height as Casey herself with long light brown hair and a slim figure. But the biggest difference was the scowl on her face. Lizzie was the happiest most cheerful kid Casey had always known, but now she looked as if she was severely unhappy.

"Lizzie! Oh, Lizzie! I am so glad you're here! I've been here all by myself all afternoon and my head hurts and I don't have any pictures of you and mom and George had a kid named Joey and I'm a dance teacher and oh my God!" And then before she knew, Casey was sobbing. She was crying over the stress and confusion she felt since waking up. She sort of expected Lizzie to comfort her, but her little sister just stood there until Casey was done crying.

"Um, come in." Casey pulled open the door wider and Lizzie walked in, still without saying a word. Lizzie was also holding hands with a man with shaggy, curly black hair.

"Edwin?" Casey asked uncertainly.

Lizzie cracked a sarcastic grin, "No, this is my boyfriend Eric."

"Oh." was all Casey said. Lizzie had a boyfriend? But she was twenty-one, she reminded herself. And when she looked harder, this man had tanner skin than Edwin had and had green eyes instead of brown.

"Do you guys want to go out for a late lunch? You could tell me all about life at university." Casey said hopefully.

"We already ate." Lizzie said meanly.

"Oh, well, okay. Would you like some tea? I have a pot going in the kitchen." Casey said.

"Whatever." Lizzie said as she plopped onto Casey's couch. She picked up the remote and started flipping through channels.

Casey hurried into the kitchen, blinking back tears on the way. Lizzie had never treated her this coldly before. What happened in those ten years?

She came out with the pot of tea and three cups on a tray. It looked like she walked right into an argument. Lizzie and Eric were arguing in hushed voices.

"Bye, Casey. It was nice to see you again, but I have to go." He smiled at her and grabbed his coat.

"_Don't, _Eric!" Lizzie demanded.

"You two need to work this out!" He said before he left.

"What is he talking about?" Casey asked her sister as she set down the tray of tea.

"Nothing." Lizzie growled.

She had turned the TV off and the two sisters sat in silence as the cold December snow fell gently around the city until Casey couldn't take it anymore and blurted out, "Lizzie what happened? You and mom are both acting so different! I don't understand, I can't remember anything in the last ten years! I am truly sorry if I did something to offend you, but my memory's gone! You have to help me!"

For a second she thought that Lizzie was going to get up and leave, but was pleasantly surprised when Lizzie's shoulders slumped in defeat and she said, "You're right. I'm sorry. You've just acted a certain way for a long time and to see you acting like a teenager again is-"

"Wait – what do you mean I've acted a certain way for a long time? What did I do?" Casey asked.

"I-I don't like talking about it. No one does. So let's just talk about something else, okay?" Lizzie said as she plastered on a fake smile.

Casey wanted to know what the great bad thing was, but knew better than to push Lizzie into telling her.

"So what are you studying at the University of Toronto?" Casey asked.

"I'm studying to be a veterinarian. Eric is going to be a journalist. We met on the front field outside the university, I was kicking a soccer ball around with my friends and I accidentally kicked the ball into the back of his head. He asked me out and we've been together ever since." Lizzie continued to chat about her life, and little by little, the hard set of her shoulders relaxed and the wary expression in her eyes vanished.

The girls completely lost track of time, it wasn't until they heard Truman come in did they realize how late it had gotten.

"Oh, hello, Lizzie! It was nice of you to visit your sister." Truman said politely to his girlfriend's little sister.

"Yes, it was, wasn't it?" Casey said happily. She was too busy smiling at Truman to notice Lizzie glaring at him.

"Well, it was nice to see you again, Casey, but I really should be going now." Lizzie said and stood up.

"Oh, wait! I need to ask you something!" Truman said.

"What?" Lizzie said cautiously.

"Casey, I'm so sorry, but I have to go on an extended business trip. It's at the worst possible time, but if I don't go, they'll fire me. So I was thinking that Casey could stay at your parent's house while I'm gone. Just so she won't be alone, and I'll be back in three and a half weeks." Truman said to the MacDonald sisters.

"That sounds great! They can fill me in on everything I've forgotten!" Casey said happily.

Lizzie hesitated before saying, "I'll ask mom and George."

"So it's decided! Casey, pack your bags, because you're going home!" Truman exclaimed to his girlfriend. Casey cheered and Lizzie left without a word.

**A/N not much to say but please review and peace out! **


	4. Chapter Three

**A/N hello again just wanted to say something. Sorry if any of the medical stuff isn't right but im not a doctor, im just a kid so i don't really know some stuff. And i don't own anything. But i wish i owned Michael seater ;p **

A few days later, Casey found herself sitting on a plane headed to London, Ontario. Truman had called the school she worked at and arranged for her to have the time off, he was on a plane as well but his was headed to New York City.

Casey was super nervous to be flying on a plane, especially by herself. Truman had assured her that she had flown on a plane before, last year but she couldn't remember it. She made sure her seat belt was tightly buckled and her cell phone turned off. She listened attentively while the flight attendant was demonstrating what to do in an emergency situation and sat in the aisle seat. She shut her eyes tight when the plane took off and didn't open them again until she felt the plane land safely on the ground. Thankfully the flight was short.

Casey left the terminal and headed towards the door where she saw George waiting for her.

"Oh, George! How are you?" Casey asked her step-father exuberantly.

"I'm fine. Let's go." He said coldly. He walked ahead of her and left her to drag her suitcases through the busy airport. Casey felt little slivers of hurt shoot into her heart. What did she do that was so terrible?

The car ride back to the house was pure torture. George didn't speak to her and when she tried to start a conversation, he would answer with one word sentences. And he was playing terrible heavy metal music.

Looking at George, Casey could see how much he's changed. He looked older and tired but his usually shaggy blonde hair was cut short and neat. He was also wearing a business suit. Now, Casey hadn't known George for long, but she did know that he hardly ever wore suits.

They arrived at the house and Casey immediately noticed the differences. First off, there were no toys or bikes scattered across the lawn. There was a snowman by the tree. The driveway was shovelled but icy and George left Casey to struggle her way to the door with her bags by herself. He did hold the door for her though.

The house was clean. And if you have even spent one day in the Venturi-Macdonald household, you know that it could never be kept clean for more than fifteen minutes. And it was quiet. It felt so empty. There were only a couple of coats hung up on the coat rack and there were no magazines or toys anywhere in the living room. Where were the signs of childhood life? thought Casey. Where's this Joey?

"I guess I'll just go upstairs to my room then?" Casey turned around asked George. But she realized she was talking to thin air. George had vanished.

She hauled her bags up the stairs and down the hall that she recently had just moved into. She pushed open the door to see her yellow room painted a baby blue with race car wallpaper on the walls. There was a bed with Star Wars sheets on it and a skateboard and other toys lying carelessly on the floor. She realized that she just walked into her little brother's bedroom. Casey swallowed the lump in her throat. It was practical for them to redo her room; it wasn't like she was living there anymore anyways. And she had barely moved in to that room in her memory. She ran to check the other rooms as well, if they redid her room, they surely did the same to Derek, Lizzie and Edwin. They had moved out as well.

The attic was turned into a sewing room and Lizzie's room was now a cozy guest room. The only room that looked the same was Derek's. Of course. He was so spoiled! But where was she going to sleep? She dragged her Coach luggage back down the stairs and for the time being, left it in the hallway.

She wandered the main floor looking for her family. Instead, she found a note in the kitchen saying that George and her mom were at Joey's hockey game and Marti was out with friends. How old was Marti? Casey quickly did the math in her head. Wow, Marti was sixteen. Everyone was so old!

It was around four o'clock and by the time everyone got back it would be dinner time. Casey decided she would make them a fancy dinner to say thanks for letting her stay here.

She got right to work. She didn't know where the Venturi's kept everything, she had never made anything here before, but she figured things out fast enough. By the time 5:45 rolled around, everything was ready. Casey opened her suitcases and changed into nicer clothes in the downstairs bathroom. She was now wearing a black knee length skirt with white flowers along the bottom and a white sweater sweat. She tied her hair half up half down. She set the table with fancy placemats and cutlery. She even arranged a candle display centre piece in the middle of the table. She dimmed the lights and lit the candles and waited for her family to come home.

A few minutes later she heard the lock click in the door and a teenage girl walked in.

The girl had short black hair and was wearing a ripped black t-shirt over a purple tank top with a black and purple mini skirt and purple combat boots.

"Um, hi?" Casey said. Who was this girl?

The girl looked up, as if noticing Casey for the first time. "What are you doing back here?" She snapped.

"I-I live here." Casey said.

"No, you don't. _I _live here. You live in Toronto."

Casey did a double take, "_Marti?" _She said incredulously.

"Yeah?"

"You look so….. different! What did you do to your hair?"

"It's just a wig!" Marti said and pulled off the wig to release a wave of waist length wavy chestnut hair with purple streaks in it.

"And is that…. is that a nose piercing?" Casey's head was spinning. This is was not the sweet little girl she remembered.

"Yeah, cool, huh?"

Casey decided not to answer that. "So what's up with you?" She asked politely instead.

"Oh, nothing much. Got the lead role in _Romeo and Juliet _at school." Marti collapsed onto the big brown chair in the living room and leaned back.

"Wow, that's exciting! I didn't know you liked to act!" Casey said.

Marti looked at her sideways, "Yeah you do. You just forgot."

"Oh. Yeah." Casey said sadly.

"So you're really going on with this whole car accident thing? Did you really lose your memory or do you just want money or something." Marti said meanly.

"I'm not faking it! I really-" But she was cut off by the sound of the door opening.

"Guess who won their hockey game?" Nora said as she walked into the house.

"Was it you, Joe? Wow, you really are like the coolest kid I know!" Marti said to her little brother.

Now that Casey could see him, she could see the resemblance between Joey and the rest of the family. He had George's blonde hair and Nora's brown eyes and his build looked like Casey's – tall and slim – but the rest of his face was like a miniature version of Derek. Besides the Derek part, he was the cutest little kid Casey had ever seen.

"Hi, Joey! Do you remember me?" Casey leaned over and asked him.

"Yeah, I know you. I'm not stupid you know. You're my sister Casey. I haven't seen you in three years because everyone hates you and-" but he was cut off by Marti's hand over his mouth. She led him upstairs and George, Nora and Casey stood in awkward silence.

"I made dinner!" Casey said as she gestured towards the meal she took forever to make.

"We got a pizza." Nora said almost apologetically.

"Oh. That's okay. Pizza's good. But, um, I'm feeling a little tired, so where should I sleep?" Casey said. She sniffed and willed the tears that were in her eyes not to fall until she was alone.

"You can have the guest room. It's Lizzie's old room." Nora said.

Once again, Casey made her way upstairs with all her suitcases. She opened Lizzie's door and fell onto the bed and just cried until she fell asleep.

The next morning Casey was woken up by the sound of shouting and feet thumping against the floor, just like her other mornings at the Venturi residence. She was ashamed to notice that she had fallen asleep in the clothes she was wearing the previous night. She neatly made the bed and folded the skirt and put on jeans and a plain t-shirt. She did her hair in two long braids.

Out in the hallway was a miniature jungle. Even though there was more kids when Casey lived there, Joey and Marti made enough noise that it seemed like there was ten of them.

"Morning guys!" Casey called out cheerfully to them.

Instantly, they both froze. They looked at each other than back at Casey.

"Um, good morning Casey." Marti said hesitantly.

Joey looked at her shyly from behind Marti.

"Hey, Joey do you want chocolate chip pancakes?" Casey asked him in an attempt to win him over. It worked. He smiled and two dimples appeared in his cheeks. Casey grinned at his smile – he was missing his front tooth.

"I can shape the pancakes if you want. I can make them like Mickey Mouse or dinosaurs if you want." Casey said to him.

"Yeah!" The seven year old shouted. He took Casey's hand and dragged her down to the kitchen.

Marti followed along behind them and the icy expression on her face melted away. She couldn't be mad at someone her little brother loved.

The little gang halted at the entrance to the kitchen. Nora and George were both standing there with phones to their ears and shouting at the people at the other end.

Joey's bubbly attitude slowed a little bit and he quietly sat on a stool. Marti silently got a bowl of cereal for herself. It was awkward in the kitchen with no sound except for two separate phone conversations.

And then Nora and George hung up their phones with an exasperated sigh.

"I have to go in early, Smith is useless without me. Can you drive Joey today?" George said to Nora as if Joey wasn't there and couldn't hear them.

"You know I can't! I have that meeting with the vice president of the company!" Nora snapped back.

"I can ask Bean if he could drive Joey." Marti suggested.

At the same time, both parents said, "No!"

Marti scowled into her cereal.

"I don't have car, but I could walk Joey to the public school. It isn't far right?" Casey said from the doorway.

Everyone turned to stare at her. It was as if they had forgotten she was in the kitchen at all.

Joey grinned at her, Marti gave her a tiny smile and Nora and George looked at each other.

"Well, I guess that could work….." Nora said hesitantly.

"We do have no other options. So maybe, just this once, Casey, you can take Joey to school." George said begrudgingly.

Joey cheered. Both his parents looked at him and he simply shrugged and said, "She said she was going to make me chocolate chip dinosaur pancakes."

Nora looked confused but as she left the kitchen, she gave Casey a small smile.

When their parents had left the house, Marti and Joey relaxed. Marti was telling Casey about her play and Joey wouldn't stop talking about his girlfriend.

"Aren't you a little young to be dating?" Casey asked him as she handed him a plate of pancakes and chopped fruit.

"Joey's a little Romeo at the school. He's known as the First Grade Casanova." Marti said through a mouth full of breakfast. She had pushed aside the cereal in favour of Casey's dino pancakes.

"Her name is Annabelle Wellman and she is the most beautiful girl in the entire class. We've been dating all week!" Joey said with stars in his eyes.

Casey couldn't help but smile at him, "Hurry and finish eating so you have time to brush your teeth."

The pancakes didn't last long. Both Marti and Joey ate every single morsel on their plate then praised Casey for her awesome cooking skills.

Joey was getting his coats and boots on when they heard a knock at the door. Marti opened and through her arms around the person who knocked.

"Casey, this is my boyfriend, Bean." Marti said proudly.

Casey knew why her mom and George didn't want Joey riding in a car with him. He wasn't _bad _looking, just weird. He was wearing a black vampire cape with paint stained grey jeans with a t-shirt that said, _Kiss me, I'm Irish. _And his hair was dyed ketchup red and was stuck up all over his head. But then again, Marti was dressed a little eccentrically as well. She was wearing a banana yellow fedora, a 1920's flapper dress and cowboy boots.

"Pleased to meet you, Bean." Casey stuck out her hand and he shook it politely.

"Hey, Casey. Hey, Joey!" Bean said.

He and Joey high fived. Marti grabbed his hand and they ran out and got into Bean's rusty old car.

Casey put on her coat and locked the door behind her. Joey held her hand as they walked along the street. He chattered on about everything and anything that crossed his mind. It was very refreshing to have him so cheerful and nice to her, after everyone basically shunned her.

"So, should I pick you up at lunch? Casey asked him.

"No, mommy packed me a lunch. And Marti picks me up after school." They got to the doors and Joey waved to her one last time than ran up to an adorable blonde girl and hugged her.

Casey walked back to the house by herself. She spent the day by herself. So Marti and Joey got home from school, she was over the moon.

"Hi, guys! How was your day?" Casey asked them excitedly as she offered them a plate of cheese and crackers, veggies and mixed fruit she had prepared.

"Fine." Marti said.

"Fine." Joey said.

"So who wants to play a game?" She asked them excitedly.

"I want to watch TV." Marti said. Joey nodded.

That went on until six, when Nora came home carrying a bag of Mexican take- out food. They ate in silence as Nora talked on a work call and at seven when George came home; he brought his dinner down to the basement and ate it down there.

Marti and Joey were playing Wii tennis and Casey was curled up in a chair reading a novel when the door burst open and a man walked into the room in a cloud of snow flurries.

"I'M HOME!" He shouted to the house in general.

"Derek!" Marti and Joey cried at the same time. They paused the game and leapt up to hug him.

"Hi, Derek!" Casey said from the couch.

Joey and Marti fell silent. Their eyes fell to the floor and they awkwardly shuffled backwards. Derek's eyes snapped over to where Casey was sitting in track pants and bunny slippers.

"What are you doing here?" He hissed.

Casey was a little surprised at his behaviour. She knew that even though they had known each other little over a month, they didn't get along. But this was an extreme even for him. He was positively shaking with anger. His dark eyes were filled with hatred and loathing directed at her.

"I-I'm visiting for a few weeks. Truman is on a business trip and I didn't want to stay by myself." Casey said quietly. She slowly got up from the couch and faced him.

"Sure, that's the reason you came back here. Didn't come back to gloat?" He mocked.

"Gloat about what?"

"YOU KNOW DAMN WELL WHAT! ARE YOU MAKING FUN OF ME OR SOMETHING? YOU KNOW YOU'RE NOT WANTED HERE!" Derek screamed.

"I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED!" Casey screamed back.

"YOU DO! I KNOW YOU DO! YOU'RE SELFISH AND SPOILED AND _MEAN!" _Derek looked absolutely livid.

Joey and Marti were backing up the stairs quietly.

Casey flinched as if she had been slapped, "I AM NOT MEAN! I DIDN'T EVEN DO ANYTHING!"

"WHY ARE YOU ACTING LIKE THIS?"

"She really doesn't know what you're talking about, Derek." Nora said from the doorway. Casey didn't even hear them come up from the basement but obviously she and George had both heard everything Casey and Derek said.

"What do you mean?" Derek said angrily. At least he wasn't shouting.

"Casey was in a car accident and has lost her memory. She can't remember anything past moving in here." Nora said to him soothingly.

"She has forgotten the last ten years of her life." George said.

Derek was still for a minute than turned to look at Casey. "Oh, well then I'm sorry for the way I acted." He said fake-sweetly.

"Uh huh." Casey said and crossed her arms.

"And you owe me fifty bucks." He held his hand.

Casey glanced at her mother who shook her head.

"Nice try." Casey said smugly.

He glared at her then stomped upstairs and slammed his door hard enough to shake the house.

"What happened between me and Derek?" Casey asked her mother and step-father.

"He should be the one to tell you. It's private." Nora said. She turned and went back down to the basement bedroom.

"Casey, I'm sorry for the way I acted. I just…. I just found it hard to remember the way you were before." George said sincerely to Casey.

"Before what?"

But George had already turned towards the direction of his room. So Casey went upstairs to bed like the rest of her family.

**A/N okay this one is a little longer but it just worked out that way. Please review and tell me what you think! **


	5. Chapter Four

**A/N hope everyone is enjoying this fic so far. Please give me reviews so i know for sure! And i own nothing. **

Casey woke up earlier the next morning. It was too early for Marti and Joey to be up for school, so they were still asleep. Casey pulled a sweater over her pajamas and made her way downstairs for an early breakfast. She didn't expect anyone to be up but her so she was surprised to hear voices in the kitchen.

"What do you mean, you've been kicked out of your apartment?" George said angrily.

"Well. I threw a _tiny _party which got a _little _out of hand and my landlord didn't appreciate it too much when one of my guests threw a chair out the window. Don't tell my coach: I'm already on thin ice with him. He says if I screw up one more time, I'm off the team." Derek explained.

"Derek, how could you let this happen?" Nora reprimanded.

"You've been going downhill ever since – "

But George didn't get to finish his sentence, because Nora interrupted him by saying, "Oh, good morning Casey!"

Her mother had seen her, so Casey snuck out from her place behind the door.

"Morning everyone." Casey said.

"Were you eavesdropping, Casey? I am very disappointed in you." Nora said sternly.

"I'm sorry; I didn't mean to listen to you. I just came down and heard people talking….." Casey trailed off.

Nora was in a sharp looking business skirt suit and was flipping eggs in a pan and George was fiddling with his Blackberry. Derek was in a t-shirt and track pants and staring determinedly into his glass of juice.

"So how is everyone this morning?" Casey asked, trying to fill the awkward silence.

"Well, Derek got kicked out of his apartment and is now staying with us for the time being." George said, glaring at his eldest son. Derek ignored him.

"Derek, don't you have practice? How are you going to get to Toronto from London every day?" Nora asked.

"My coach's wife just had a baby so she wants him home a lot, and if you know her at all, you know that you can never say no to Lisa Perry. My coach lives in London so we're now practicing at a London rink every day and I have a few games but I'll drive." Derek explained still staring resolutely at his glass.

"What do you play?" Casey asked. Everyone turned to stare at her and she blushed. "Derek said he had practices and a game so I was just wondering….."

Nora, George and Casey all looked at Derek thinking he would answer his step-sister, but when it became clear that he would not, George said, "Derek plays for the Toronto Maple Leafs."

Just then, Marti and Joey came down dressed for school.

"Can I have pancakes again?" Joey asked eagerly.

"No, you can't have pancakes two days in a row; you'll rot your teeth with all that sugar." Casey told him sternly.

Joey sighed and Derek looked between them.

"I made eggs, honey!" Nora said to him brightly. He shrugged and she put a plateful of scrambled eggs in front of him.

"I got a call from Lizzie this morning! She said that she has been emailing Edwin and he told her to tell us that he is coming down to celebrate Christmas with us on the morning of the nineteenth just like Lizzie herself!" Nora said brightly. Her Blackberry beeped, she looked at it then her watch and said, "Oh, I have to go! I'll see you guys later." She kissed George on the cheek and all her kids on the head, but somehow, Casey missed out.

George, too, left for work soon after that.

"Derek, can I borrow your car? Bean had to go in early today so I don't have a ride." Marti said.

"Yeah, sure." Derek grunted.

"Marti do you have your license?" Casey asked sharply.

"Um, technically no. But I know the theory of driving." She said. Casey shook her head.

"You can't drive if you don't have your license." She said.

"She can too! What does it matter if she doesn't have her license? The school is five minutes away, what danger could she get in?" Derek surprised them all by shouting.

"Derek, no! It's not safe!" Casey said.

"Stop trying to control everything!" Derek shouted. He stormed out of the house, grabbing his leather jacket and keys on his way.

"Can you give me a drive then?" Marti called after him but he just ignored her.

"You can walk with me and Joey if you want." Casey offered. Marti shrugged and pouted.

Derek didn't come back for the whole day and most of the evening. He walked in when they were eating the dinner that Casey made. He plopped down in his usual seat and shovelled pasta into his mouth.

"Where have you been all day?" George asked.

"Out." Derek said unhelpfully.

"You need to stop being so immature! You're twenty-six; it's time to grow up!" George said to his son.

"Can I have a monkey?" Joey blurted out. The whole family turned and looked at him.

"No, honey, you can't get a monkey." Nora said gently.

"But – I – want – one!" He screamed.

He looked dangerously close to tears and a temper tantrum so Casey said, "Why don't we watch Tarzan, the movie with the monkeys in it, and on the weekend I'll take you to the zoo to see real live monkeys."

He thought for a minute then agreed. The whole family breathed a sigh of relief. After the dinner dishes had been cleaned up, Joey put on the movie and he and Casey settled onto the couch.

Casey was in tears at the beginning when the parents died, much to Joey's amusement and he was asleep by the end. Marti was in her room and Derek had disappeared. Nora and George came up to the family room and George carried Joey to his bed.

"Thank you for calming him down. You're very good with him and he adores you." Nora said to Casey about Joey.

"Thanks, he's a sweet kid." Casey said as she tidied up the cushions and the blanket on the couch.

"I'm sorry." Nora blurted out.

"For – for what?" Casey asked, startled.

"For being so rude and cold. George is sorry as well. We want to help you regain your memory and treating you this way isn't helping. I know you've heard this before but a couple years ago, something very bad happened and no one has really gotten over it, but I think that this could be the start to moving on." Her mother said.

Casey didn't ask about the bad thing, she knew her mother would never tell her. So she just hugged her and everything was forgiven.

The weekend came, and like she promised, Casey took her little brother to the zoo. It was near empty because of the cold but the animals were awake and lively. Accompanying Joey and Casey was Marti and Bean and against his will, Derek. Nora made him come because she said that Casey couldn't remember the London area and her memory loss made her extra vulnerable.

"Do you want to go see the new polar bear exhibit?" Marti asked. Joey said he wanted to go see the monkeys, so Bean and Marti went one way and Derek, Casey and Joey went another.

Joey kept chattering about monkeys and how he wanted to have a lemonade stand to raise money and buy one. Derek stayed about ten feet behind them at all times and never said a word to either of them. Around noon, Joey started complaining that he was starving to death. They sat down at a picnic bench and Casey pulled from her backpack the lunches she had made.

Derek went off somewhere and Casey didn't see where.

"Why is he acting like this?" Casey whispered to Joey about Derek.

Joey shrugged, "I don't know. I kinda remember something happening a long time ago, but I was just a kid then and I can't remember."

"Oh, and you're not a kid now?" Casey teased.

"Nuh-uh, I'm a grown man. Pass the animal crackers please."

They sat and talked and ate their lunch. Derek still hadn't come back. Casey felt a little hurt that he was ignoring her. She wondered how they acted all throughout high school. They must have fought like crazy, she mused. But at least he wasn't screaming at her. That was slightly worse than his cold silence.

"Excuse me, I don't mean to bother you but you have the cutest little boy I have ever seen." An elderly woman came up to them and said. Instantly, Joey sat up straighter and puffed out his chest. The woman smiled at him.

"Thank you. Yeah, he's cute but he talks with his mouth full." Casey said to the woman. Joey stuck his tongue out at her; she did the same to him.

"I was just telling my husband that you reminded me of myself when I was your age. A young woman with a young son and husband. Where is your husband? Oh, that's my husband calling me over, I must be going. But really, your son is cute enough to be in a magazine!" The woman said. Casey tried to tell her that Joey wasn't her son and Derek wasn't her husband but the woman didn't seem to be listening and she just walked away.

Casey took a sip from her juice box and Joey called to someone standing behind Casey's shoulder, "Hi Derek! Didja here that old lady? I could be a model!"

Casey tensed. Please, she begged, please, please not have let Derek hear what that crazy old lady said.

"So we're married. And that brat is our son, huh?" Derek said.

Casey scoffed, "Like I would ever marry you!"

"Are you suggesting that _I _would ever want to marry _you?" _Derek exclaimed.

She raised her eyebrow and crossed her arms. They packed up and went to look at other exhibits, bickering the whole time. Casey acted annoyed, but really, she was glad that they were speaking again.

**A/N so... thanks for reading and ... review please? **


	6. Chapter Five

**A/N hola muchahos! Heres the next instalment of: Memory. Which i now realize is the lamest title ever. Anyways, i do not own LWD or Michael seater no matter how much i wish i did. **

The next week passed in a manner that Casey expected of her and Derek. They fought and bickered and acted the way she remembered them acting. Casey didn't know what made Derek change his attitude towards her, but she was glad it did. She would rather die than admit it, but she actually liked Derek talking to her. Then on Wednesday, everything went bad again.

Derek had just come from hockey practice which always put him in a good mood and he was basically acting like a high school hotshot again when the phone rang. Marti ran for it, hoping it to be Bean but instead it was – "Casey, Truman's on the phone."

The whole house fell silent. Everyone stared at Casey. Derek slammed down his hockey bag and stomped up the stairs. Nora hurried back into the kitchen. George glared at the phone. Joey went to his room. Casey answered the phone.

"Hello?" She said into it.

"Hey, baby. It's me. I was thinking about you coming to see me this weekend. You know, just stay for Saturday and Sunday then coming back to your family's house on Monday. I miss you, baby." Truman said.

Casey thought about going back on a plane and shuddered, "I think I want to just stay here, Truman. I really don't like flying on airplanes." She said.

"Well, okay. I don't want you to be scared."

"I'm not _scared! _I just don't like flying in planes!"

"Okay, okay! I'll see you later. Love you!" Truman said.

"Good bye." was all Casey said. She felt that she barely knew him, and was uncomfortable saying that she loved him.

She heard someone thump down the stairs.

"What did Loverboy want? Was he checking up on you, making sure you're not up to bad things?" Derek sneered.

"Actually Truman just called to invite me to spend the weekend with him in New York City. He said he misses me and he loves me." Casey said snootily.

"Yeah he loves you. Like I love vegetables." Derek said sarcastically.

"He does too love me! What do you know, anyways? You're just some stupid party throwing hockey playing _moron! _You got kicked out of your apartment and you might get kicked off the team! I heard you on the phone with that girl, she broke up with you! You know nothing about me! So don't you say that Truman doesn't love me!" Casey shouted at him.

Suddenly she felt a little bit faint. She felt the world spinning and the strangest sense of déjà vu. This felt familiar. Her, standing by the couch and Derek standing by the stairs. Screaming at each other. Truman was a part of it too, somehow. They were yelling about him last time just like now. There was something else, some other important detail…. But it was slipping away.

Casey swayed on her feet. Derek ran over to her and tried to steady her.

"Get your hands off me." She snapped. She saw Derek recoil. He threw a look of disgust at her then grabbed his coat and walked out the door.

Casey didn't want him to go. She wished she hadn't said what she did, she was angry at him but that was no excuse. They were hurtful words and now he's gone.

Casey waited for him. She sat on the couch for hours in the half-darkness waiting for him to come home. Everyone was asleep at 2 am when he returned. Casey was dozing on and off on the couch when he stumbled through the door reeking of beer.

"Where were you?" Casey demanded to know.

"I was – I was at a bar." He said, his words slurred. He hung up his jacket and kicked off his shoes and stumbled towards the stairs. Casey went over to help him, he put his arm around her and she half dragged him up the stairs.

"You smell pretty." He mumbled.

"And you smell like beer. What did you do, bathe in it?" Casey whispered.

He let out a loud laugh. Casey shushed him and when they got to his door, he said, "I want a pancake."

"I'll make you one tomorrow." Casey panted. He really was heavy for someone so scrawny.

She pushed him onto his bed then went into the bathroom to get him a glass of water. When she came back, he was under the covers with the blankets all tucked around him. His big brown eyes were drooping and he whispered, "I really love you."

For some reason, Casey felt her heart stop then speed up, "You – you do?" She asked quietly in shock.

"Sure do." He mumbled. "I also love peanut butter."

Hurt disappointment filled Casey up. It was just his drunken mind speaking, Casey told herself sternly. She quickly dismissed her hurt feelings. It was late, she was tired and Derek's drunken attitude was affecting her emotions.

She looked at Derek one last time before she went to her own room. When he was asleep, his face was smooth and free of the little wrinkles he had around his eyes. When he was awake he looked older then he actually was, he looked wearier. She brushed aside a loose strand of hair that was on his face and said, "When you wake up you're going to have the biggest hangover ever."

It was true. It was nine o'clock in the morning when he finally stumbled down the stairs, swearing the whole way. Nora and George had already left for work, and Joey and Marti were at school. Casey was sitting in the kitchen with a cup of coffee and the newspaper.

"Good morning!" She said cheerfully.

"Screw you."

He was in a terrible temper. He wandered around the kitchen for a few minutes with his eyes half closed before he snatched Casey's coffee right out of her hands and sat down across from her.

"Der-_ek!" _She shrieked, "I was drinking that!"

"Well, you're not anymore." He said as he took a sip from her mug and then grabbed the paper away from her.

"Don't you have hockey practice?" Casey asked coldly.

He swore under his breath then said, "Can you call my coach and tell him I'm too sick to come to practice for me?"

"No! You can do it yourself!"

"He might think I'm faking again. It has to be you! Please?" He looked at her with his big brown puppy dog eyes and Casey sighed.

"Fine. Hand me the phone. And give me back my coffee!" She called the coach and he picked up the second ring.

"What?" He barked.

"Hi, I'm Casey MacDonald, Derek Venturi's step-sister and I just called to tell you that he's too sick to come to practice today. But he'll be there tomorrow." Casey said.

"Look, Cassie-"

"It's Casey."

"-You tell you step-brother if he doesn't get his ass down here in twenty minutes, I'm suspending him from the team." Coach Perry said.

"But, sir-"

"_Twenty minutes!" _

He hung up the phone and Casey said to Derek, "Did you hear all that?"

"Yep." He said, "Guess I'd better go get ready."

He didn't shower, just through on a pair of track pants and an old t-shirt. He grabbed his hockey bag and coat.

"You can't drive like that! You're all hung-over!" Casey said to him.

"I have to be there in five and a half minutes or I'm suspended!"

"Then let me drive you there!" Casey said.

He looked like he was about to argue, but he glanced at his watch and groaned, "Fine. Hurry up."

"Here. While you were getting dressed I made you a cup coffee in a travel mug." Casey handed him the warm drink and his exasperated expression softened a bit.

Derek kept yelling at her. Casey insisted on stopping at every stop sign and obeying the speed limit which infuriated her step-brother. It was a very long five and a half minutes.

"We're on time!" Casey said.

"No thanks to you." Derek grumbled. He grabbed his bag and stomped inside.

Casey followed him and sat down in the stands. A woman a few years older than Casey and carrying a baby sat down next to her.

"Hello, I'm Lisa. And this is Lily." The woman said about herself and her baby.

"Hi, I'm Casey." Casey said kindly.

"So, who's yours?" Lisa asked.

"Excuse me?"

"You're hockey player." Lisa explained. "The only people who show up for practices are the team and their wives and girlfriends."

"Oh." Casey blushed. "No, I'm here with Derek Venturi but I'm his step-sister. I only came because he was too hung-over to drive himself."

Lisa gave her okay-whatever-you-say look and Casey blushed again.

"My hockey player is the coach. I'm his wife." Lisa said.

"I was just on the phone with him this morning. He seems tough." Casey said remembering the abrupt conversation.

"He is." Lisa said with a laugh. "But it's just because he loves his job so much. He talks a lot about your step-brother and he says that Derek is great but he could be amazing if he only would focus on the game. He doesn't pay enough attention and he's too aggressive."

"Well, that's just Derek. He's always like that." Casey said coolly, for some reason feeling the need to defend him.

"Oh, no! You misunderstood me! I like Derek and so does my husband! He just needs to stop and think every once in a while." Lisa explained.

The two women chatted for the rest of the morning. Casey loved Lily and kept gushing about her cuteness. At lunch time, the practice ended.

"Okay!" Casey heard Coach Perry shout from the stands. "Tomorrow we're meeting in the weight room upstairs then coming down to the rink for some ice time! Most of you are spineless weaklings and you _need _weight room!"

"I'll see you later. I'm off to my niece's seventh birthday party. It's why the practice was cut short. Maybe I'll see you again." Lisa said as she walked out with her baby girl, her curly blonde hair waving behind her.

Casey met Derek in the lobby of the rink.

"Good practice?" She asked.

"Yeah. I saw you talking to Lisa." He said.

"Yes, I was. She's really nice."

"Do you think you could get her to talk to me?" He said, winking.

"Derek!" Casey said, shocked. "She's married! And she has a baby!"

He laughed, "I know, I know. I was just kidding. Hey, when we get home, I have a surprise for you!"

"You do?"

"Yep!"

"What is it?" Casey asked.

"I can't tell you! Otherwise it won't be a surprise!"

Casey pouted, "I hate surprises."

Derek started the car, "That's true. Remember your sixteenth birthday party?"

"No! What did you do?"

"Oh, nothing. It was awesome. In fact, I threw it for you and you were so grateful, you said it was the best birthday of your life." Derek said seriously.

Casey glared at him suspiciously. Was he lying? She decided to give him the benefit of the doubt, "Well thank you then. I don't remember it, but if you say it was great, then I'm sure it was at least okay."

"Hey!"

They arrived at the house. Derek unlocked the door and pushed past Casey into the house. She rolled her eyes at him and hung up her coat.

"Ta-dah!" Derek said as he handed Casey her surprise.

"Oh, Derek!"

**A/N oooh! Whats the surprise? LoL your gonna have to wait and see! The more reviews i get, the faster i update! Later gators! **


	7. Chapter Six

**A/N thanks for the reviews and alerts and stuff, im glad you like it so far. **

"A photo album? This could be the key to my memories! Thank you Derek!" Casey said happily as she smoothed her hand over the purple cover.

She sat down on the couch and Derek sat next to her.

She flipped open the book but her eager smile soon faded.

"What's this?" Casey said pointing to a picture of her dressed as a tree with green paint smeared over her face.

"Oh, that's when you were in the school musical. We were so proud of you." Derek said.

"I was a tree!" Casey exclaimed.

"Well, I never said you were _good _at musical theatre." Derek shrugged.

"But – but I am good musical theatre! Wait a second, what is _that?" _Casey said in horror.

"That's a little rude. That was your first London boyfriend on your first London date. You went to the comic convention."

"But I _hate _comic books! I absolutely _detest _them! Why would I go out with a guy who was interested in that?" Casey said as panic bloomed. None of this felt right. Surely she could feel if something felt right? She was seventy percent sure this wasn't her life. It just _couldn't _be!

"I don't know why you do the things you do. Oh, would you look at that. The highest mark you ever got on a test." Derek said with a smile on his face.

"That's not right. That can't be right. There is no way that is right! My highest mark was a _B plus?" _Casey started to hyperventilate. Derek went and found her a plastic bag and she spent several minutes just breathing into it.

"Are you okay now? Can we continue?" Derek flipped the page and Casey winced.

"_Please _tell me that's someone who looks a lot like me, but is a completely different person." Casey begged.

"Nope! That was our grade eleven prom! Nora made the dress for you, and you spent all your savings getting your hair done like that." Derek said cheerfully.

"I wanted my hair that on purpose?" Casey whispered. That ugly lilac purple of the dress was one thing but the hair was quite another. She looked the bride of Frankenstein's poodle.

"Oh yeah. And that was your boyfriend, Max. He was not the brightest light bulb in the hardware store, but he was an okay guy."

"Why the hell is his tuxedo blue?" Casey said, horrified.

"What Casey? You specifically asked him to get a blue tuxedo!"

"Why don't we take a break?" Casey asked hurriedly. She rushed into the kitchen to make lunch and when she came back out Derek was on the phone.

"Yeah, thanks Ralph. I know! She fell for it, it was hilarious! My favourite part was the picture of her at the comic convention! Where did you even get those pictures? Ohhh, yeah, I remember that guy. He was the one to get us our phony IDs back in high school, right? Uh – huh. Okay, I'll see you later." He hung up the phone and turned around to see Casey standing there with a murderous glare in her eyes.

"THE PICTURE'S WERE FAKE?" She shrieked. "IS THIS A JOKE TO YOU OR WHAT? THIS IS MY LIFE DEREK!"

"Calm down, Princess. It was just a joke." He laughed and rolled his eyes.

"I WAS REALLY FREAKED OUT THERE FOR A SECOND! YOU MADE ME BELIEVE MY LIFE WAS CRAP! THE TREE THING, THE NERD, BOYFRIEND, THE TERRIBLE MARK, THE PROM? THAT WAS ALL FAKE?" Casey screamed, her face now turning an angry red colour.

"No, the prom was real."

"ARGH!" Casey launched herself at him and hit every inch of his body with the couch pillow.

"YOU – ARE – THE – WORST – PERSON – EVER!" Casey screamed as she hit his face with the cushion. She was so busy shouting insults that she didn't hear the door open, but she did hear Marti say, "Whoa, what's going on here?"

Casey looked up and realized she was straddling Derek's mid-section and smacking him in the face with couch cushions.

"Your brother made up a fake photo album and filled it with photo shopped pictures of me doing things that I have never done in my life!" Casey growled.

Marti burst out laughing. Derek pushed Casey off of him and Marti high fived him. Joey was laughing too, revealing his missing front tooth. Casey tried to stop the giggles building inside her, but the sight of little Joey's missing tooth was just too funny at this particular moment and she started laughing as well.

By suppertime, when Nora and George came home, everyone was in a cheerful, good mood. Joey showed his parents the joke photo album and they brought out the real one.

Casey flipped through the pictures and smiled softly at each one. They seemed more like her. There was a picture of her and a blonde haired boy and the caption read: _Casey and Sam _there was another picture of Casey, that Sam person, Derek and another boy in a band onstage. Casey was a little shocked by her choice of outfit – it was a little revealing for her tastes. There were other pictures, moments that Casey couldn't remember caught on camera. Then she came to the picture of her at her senior prom.

She gasped, "It's Truman!"

Derek looked over from his brown chair as a scowl crossed his face. "Yeah, you guys went together. I set you up." Was it just Casey's imagination or was Derek actually sounding regretful?

"Well, thank you then. He seems very nice." Casey said.

Derek looked away from her and turned up the TV.

Nora came into the room, "Casey, it's late. You should get some sleep."

"Okay, mom. I'll just put this away." Casey said putting the album on the coffee table.

"Has anything felt familiar? Have you got any of your memories back?" Nora asked anxiously.

"Just one." Casey said hesitantly. "I think it was summer time, because Derek and I were wearing shorts, he was in it too. I was standing by the couch and he was on the last step of the stairs. We were fighting about Truman, I think. And there was something else….. but I can't remember what it is…."

Nora and Derek glanced at each other.

"I remember that. It happened a few years ago. Now get off to bed!" Nora said quickly.

The next couple of days, Casey caught Derek looking at her out of the corner of her. He seemed like he was watching her, like he was waiting for something to happen. It was Saturday morning when something did happen. Marti, Derek, Casey and Joey were watching cartoons and Nora was making breakfast. George was away at a conference all weekend.

The doorbell rang and Derek groaned, "Who comes over at nine o'clock in the morning? It's practically the middle of the night!"

Casey rolled her eyes and answered the door, "Truman!" She exclaimed.

"Casey, baby!" Truman dropped his suitcase and hugged her.

Derek stood up and glared at Truman, "What are you doing here?"

Truman glared back. "I came to visit my girlfriend if that's okay with you."

"No, in fact it's not okay with me."

You could practically see the tension in the air, it was so thick.

"Um, why don't I go get dressed and Truman, you and I can go out for breakfast and you can tell me all about your work thing." Casey said, stepping between the two men.

She dressed hurriedly and raced back down the stairs. Marti and Joey had disappeared but Truman and Derek were still glaring at each other icily.

"Okay then, let's go." Casey said to Truman. "Bye, Derek."

Truman led her out to his car and she got in the front seat. From the car she could see Derek standing on the front porch scowling at them. Truman drove them to a tiny diner called 'Smelly Nelly's'. Apparently, she used to work there and it was where Truman and she had their first date.

"What do you want to eat?" Truman asked her.

Casey ordered an egg sandwich and a coffee. They made polite small talk all throughout their breakfast and when the bill landed on their table, Truman wouldn't let Casey pay. He drove her back to her parent's house and said to her, "I have to go now, I only came back for a little while and my flight will leave soon."

"Oh." Casey said. He was actually nice and she might miss him. They were sitting in the car, staring at her parent's house.

He leaned over to kiss her and she pressed herself against the window.

"What are you doing?" She asked, slightly panicked.

"Trying to kiss you." He said, chuckling.

"No! I don't even know you!"

He frowned, "Casey, we've been dating for _seven years."_

"I-I don't remember!"

He leaned over again and she pushed him away.

"Casey this is getting tiring. You know we've done worse things than _kissing."_

"_What?" _She shrieked.

He leaned over to kiss her again, pressing her body against the door of the car and window. She tried to move, tried to push him away but he was stronger than she was. She whimpered when suddenly the door to the car burst open and someone pulled her from the car.

"Derek!" Casey cried, relieved.

He was shaking with rage but for once it wasn't directed at her. Truman got out of the car after Casey and glared at Derek. "Dude." He said, "What the hell?"

"Get off my property and stay away from Casey. If you ever come here again or call her or text her or even send her an email, I'll cut your balls off." Derek growled.

A flicker of wary fear crossed Truman's face but it was quickly replaced by male bravado.

"Don't tell me what to do, Venturi. Remember the last time you tried to boss someone around?" Truman smirked and raised his eyebrows at Derek.

Derek paled then leaped at Truman he brought his arm back to hit Truman but Casey jumped in front of him, "Stop it!" She cried.

"Casey, get out of the way." Derek demanded.

"No!" She shouted, "Stop fighting! Derek, go back in the house. I want to talk to Truman. Alone." She said forcefully.

Derek snorted, "Like hell I'm going to leave you alone with him."

"Derek!" She shouted.

"I'm on the front porch." He scowled.

"Truman, maybe it's best if we take a break for a while." Casey said awkwardly. She had never broken up with someone before. She had never really had a boyfriend.

"Are you breaking up with me?" He said incredulously.

"Yes, just until I have more of my memories back. It's all so confusing and I don't think the best thing for me right now is a serious long distance relationship." Casey said calmly.

Truman narrowed his dark brown eyes and said cruelly, "You're breaking up with me so you can slut around with your brother? Casey, I could give you so much more then _he _could."

Casey gasped, "No! This isn't about – I don't even know what – get off my property!" She cried incoherently.

Truman gave her the finger and drove his car away. Casey stomped up the snowy driveway and said stiffly to her stepbrother, "Thank you. He is a total jerk." And she continued upstairs to the guest room where she collapsed onto her bed in a fit of tears.

**A/N well now we all know that Truman is a total dickhead. Like we didn't know that already. Foolish casey. Anways, dasey cookies for all who review! **


	8. Chapter Seven

**A/N thank you to all who reviewed and such! I don't own anything but this idea.**

"Bye Case, bye mom!" Marti shouted as she walked out into the cold December morning to Bean's car.

Casey waved from her spot on the coach. She was sipping her vanilla hazelnut coffee and reading an article but Derek's latest victory in the newspaper.

"Casey." Nora said softly as she sat down beside her daughter. "I need to talk to you."

Casey caught the tone of hesitancy in her mother's voice and said in a concerned way, "What's up mom?"

"Well... I have to go on a business trip tonight. I'll just be gone for two days but George will be gone at the same time. Can you handle staying here with the kids and Derek for two days?" Nora asked.

"Yes, mom of course I can!" Casey assured.

Nora sighed, relieved. "Good. I have to call back the principal of Marti's school. Apparently, she's in trouble again. Something about turning all the clocks ahead one hour. I don't understand why she is always in trouble!"

"Mom, no offense, but she's only trying to get your attention. She does all these outlandish pranks and dresses so outrageously so you and George will notice her." Casey said.

"What do you mean?"

"Really mom? Today she left the house in purple overalls, a tie-dye t-shirt and plaid rain boots. People don't normally dress like that. You and George work so much that her and Joey feel left out." Casey explained.

"But, I'm the head of the company! And George started a new law firm which is doing amazing so, understandably, we're both extremely busy."

"But mom, she's sixteen. She needs you at home. And Joey is only little. He can't take care of himself. He needs your attention constantly. I know you and George are moving up in your careers, but you still have two kids at home that need your undivided attention." Casey said softly.

"Maybe you're right. We work so hard... but maybe Marti and Joey would just rather us be home." Nora said quietly.

"Well, don't go crazy. Just don't take your work calls during breakfast anymore!" Casey said teasing slightly.

"Oh, I missed you baby!" Nora said, hugging her daughter.

They talked for a bit more then Nora left for her trip. Casey was alone in the house and very bored. So she brought out the photo album that she was looking at before. She flipped through the pages and didn't remember a single thing. Nothing felt familiar at all. It was like looking in a magazine and having no connection at all to the people in the pictures. There was a picture of her and her cousin Vicky with their arms around each other in fancy dresses in the Venturi living room. Another was of her and Derek dancing on a stage. He was wearing eyeliner and her clothes were too tight. Casey frowned and blushed at the picture. She flipped the page to see a picture of her and a small white dog at the bottom of the stairs. She never had a dog. Another picture was with a punk looking boy, but Casey was dressed like a punk too! A picture of her with her hair curled and her clothes looking vaguely like a pirate standing on a stage with a dark haired boy. She looked at a picture of herself in a fairytale pink dress standing with Derek, Emily, Max and a blonde girl and an awkward looking boy who had his arms around Emily. There was a picture of her in a cheerleading uniform and another of her singing on a stage with Derek and Sam and another boy at Smelly Nelly's.

Casey shoved the book away from her. She hated it. Well, okay. She didn't hate it. She just hated that she could remember _nothing _about her life! It was so unfair! All the memories she was missing out on, all the people she had forgotten. She felt half empty. Like a part of her was missing. She waited unhappily for her younger siblings to get home.

"Hey Case." Marti said as she held the door open for Joey. He was scowling and miserably kicking the ground with his boot.

"Hey guys. How was school? Want some hot chocolate?" Casey asked them.

"No!" Joey shouted and ran upstairs and slammed his bedroom door.

"What's wrong with Joey?" Casey asked Marti.

"His girlfriend broke up with him for one of his friends. He's pretty upset." Marti said.

Casey brought a glass of hot chocolate and a plate of chocolate chip cookies upstairs and knocked on her – _Joey's _– bedroom door.

"Go away!" She heard his little voice cry.

"Joey, it's Casey. I want to talk to you."

"No!"

"I brought cookies."

Silence.

"Okay."

He opened his door and she went into his room. He was desperately rubbing his tears off his face.

"Are you crying?" She asked softly.

"Men don't cry!" He barked at her.

"Did Derek tell you that?"

He nodded.

"Well let me tell you something. Derek is a liar." She whispered.

He giggled and ate a cookie. They talked a bit more and she suggested a snowball fight outside. Marti joined in and the front lawn turned into a battle ground.

Joey whipped a snow ball at Marti and she screamed at him, "GET BACK HERE YOU LITTLE MONSTER!"

Joey shrieked as Marti chased him around the yard. Casey was laughing and dropped into the snow to make a snow angel.

Derek's car pulled up into the driveway and he got out where he was promptly hit in the face with a snowball from Marti.

"SMARTI!" He roared and chased her around. Marti screamed and Joey hit his big brother with a snowball. Casey smiled at them. She came back into the house and hung up her coat.

The three came into the house dripping snow everywhere and laughing.

"Make us dinner, woman!" Derek shouted.

"You can make it yourself if you're going to talk to me like that." Casey said coldly.

"I'm going to talk to you anyway I want to, MacDonald." Derek said and pushed her off the coach.

"Der-_ek!" _She screeched.

"Der_-ek!" _He mocked in a very high squeaky singsong voice.

"Can you make us dinner now, Casey?" Joey asked her.

Casey begrudgingly went into the kitchen and started to prepare dinner. She was making chicken fingers and fries. It was easy and good. She flipped on the radio an unfamiliar song came on. But it had a good beat and soon Casey was dancing and singing along.

_You think I'm pretty  
Without any makeup on  
You think I'm funny  
When I tell the punchline wrong  
I know you get me  
So I let my walls come down, down_

She could hear Marti and Joey and Derek watching TV in the other room and smiled when she thought of them. She checked on the chicken in the oven and twirled her hips. She danced around the kitchen and sang alone. She quickly caught onto the lyrics and turned the volume up louder.

_You make me feel  
Like I'm livin' a  
Teenage dream  
The way you turn me on  
I can't sleep  
Let's run away and  
Don't ever look back,  
Don't ever look back_

She was spinning around the kitchen and shut her eyes blissfully. She suddenly crashed into something. Or rather, some_one. _

"Derek!" She cried, blushing furiously.

"Hey, Spacey. Nice moves." He smirked at her.

How long had he been watching? She was completely embarrassed. She glared at him and turned around.

"Hey." He said more softly. "Don't be embarrassed. You were kinda... cute."

Her jaw dropped to the floor. Had Derek just _complimented _her? She was saved from having to reply to that by the ding of the oven.

"Oh, the chicken's ready!" She cried and ran towards the oven. They ate around the island in the kitchen and everyone said how amazing her frozen chicken was. Joey was feeling much better since his breakup and Derek told him right away that Joey should play the field, because no girl was woman enough to be with him. Casey of course reprimanded him and saying that he had to be kind to girls to get their attention. Derek said the colder you treat them, the hotter they treat you. Casey smacked him in the head for telling that to a six year old.

She made Marti and Joey do dishes and she sat on the floor in the living room and looked through the collection of DVDs. She pulled one out and put it in the player.

"What are you watching?" Derek asked her and dropped onto his favourite brown chair.

She showed him the cover and he snorted. "The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants? What kind of lame-ass movie is that?"

"Well if you must know, I was going to see it in theatres with Emily. And since I can't remember if I did or not, I'm watching it again. And I'd prefer it if you leave."

That was all Derek needed to stay. He made loud and obnoxious comments throughout the entire movie and openly insulted Casey on her choice of movie. It ended and they all went up to bed. Casey crawled into the guest bed and read for a half hour and turned off the light. But sometime after the snow fight and before she went to bed, a snowstorm had started with strong winds and tiny pieces of hail. Something was smashing against Casey's window and oh my God was that lightening? She whimpered and shivered in the darkness. Every sound, every crash and roll of thunder made her jump. Finally she couldn't take it anymore. She tip-toed to Derek's room and pushed open the door without knocking fist. He was sound asleep and looking much younger. She poked him gently. He didn't wake up so she poked him again. Finally after slapping him in the face he woke with a jolt.

"What Casey?" He mumbled sleepily.

"Um... there's a storm outside and something's attacking my window." She whispered.

"There's nothing attacking your window. Go back to bed." He sighed.

"I can't!" She cried.

"Fine!" He growled and threw back his covers. "You can sleep in my bed. I don't care as long as you shut up!"

She quickly crawled into Derek's bed and wrapped the blankets around her. She quickly heard his breath slow and his quiet snores start up again. His bed smelt like him. A bit like soap and cinnamon and sweat. She moved closer to Derek and fell asleep with her head against his chest.

**A/N nothing much to say except what did you think? please review and tell me! I don't own LWD or the song i used which was Teenage Dream by Katy Perry. I don't know why, but that song always reminded me of Dasey. :D **


	9. Chapter Eight

**A/N im so sorry its been so long. I was at a writing workshop for the past 11 days, im sorry i never told you guys. I don't own anything but i wish i did. **

Waking up in your stepbrother's bed is one of the most awkward things ever. Casey rolled over to find herself face to face with Derek. She shrieked before remembering what happened last night. Her loud scream woke him up.

"Morning Princess." He smirked. "Sleep well?"

"We will never speak of this again." She hissed and sprinted from the room. She stared at herself in the mirror in the guest bedroom. Her hair was mussed from sleep and her eyes were wide. She had a pink blush on her face and the imprint of the seam of Derek's t-shirt on her cheek. She was humiliated to have woken up in such a position. And with her step-brother no less. Even though they weren't really related he was still her... brother. Even if she didn't think of him that way. And even if she had the most comfortable sleep of her life in the crook of his arm. And even if his smile gave her butterflies. He was still her brother.

She glared at herself fiercely and tried to pound that message into her brain. He. Was. Her. Brother. She sighed and got dressed. Casey avoided looking directly into Derek's eyes all morning. She managed to eat breakfast and help get Marti and Joey ready for school without glancing in her step-brother's direction. What do you say to someone after you wake up in their bed?

She spent another day stuck in the house. Marti had rehearsal for her play and Joey was at a friend's house. She was bored and alone and a little grumpy. Nora and George were still on their business trip and she didn't have anyone to talk to. Marti ended up staying late at the school and they just ordered a pizza. Joey came home for dinner and was completely oblivious to his older sibling's discomfort. Casey was reading on the couch and Joey was playing upstairs when Derek said he was going out.

"Where are you going?" Casey asked him.

"To the rink. I want to get some extra practice time in. We have a game coming up soon." He said, grabbing his hockey bag.

"Oh." She said. "Well... can I come with you?"

"You want to come with me?" He repeated.

She nodded, slowly.

"You ignore me all day and expect me to drag you along with my plans?" He said incredulously.

She just looked at him. Was this a no? It was foolish of her to ask anyways. She was very rude all day and shouldn't expect Derek's whole world to revolve around her.

"Just like high school." He said, smirking. She grinned back. She knew that was a yes. She borrowed Marti's ice skates and told her to take diligent care of her younger brother.

They drove out to the rink which was thankfully empty. It was still open and she and Derek had the place to themselves. She tied her skates and met Derek in the middle of the rink.

"Race ya!" He shouted and took off for the other end of the rink. She skated as fast as she could and could almost keep up with him. They did a couple of laps around the ice and were both panting and gasping at the end.

"I won." Derek said with his usual smirk.

"You did not!" Casey cried. "I did!"

"I don't think so, Space Case. You're Klutzilla."

"I am not! Watch this!"

She skated a bit away from him and raised her arms. She stuck her tongue out at him and skated a loop around him.

"You may not know this, hockey player, but before I moved in with you guys, I was a figure skater. It hasn't been that long since I've done it, I can probably still do a routine." She exclaimed.

"Casey, wait-" He said worriedly but she ignored him.

Casey laughed and skated forward. She twirled and skated backwards and things were going okay until she tried to do a jump. Her skates came up like normal but instead of landing gracefully, she tumbled to the hard ice with a shriek of pain. She landed hard on her knee and felt tears rolling down her face.

"Casey, Casey, are you okay?" Derek asked, slightly panicked.

"No!" She wailed.

"I should have told you before, but you haven't figure skated in over ten years. Your body can't remember how to do the moves even if your mind does. But I thought I was wrong. And you were doing really well before you fell!" Derek said, his voice getting slightly louder and more panicked with every word he said.

Casey couldn't even stand on her hurt knee. She found herself sobbing like a child. It _wasn't fair. _She couldn't even do a simple jump like she used to. She didn't like this life; she wanted her old one back.

"Casey, I'm sorry! I'll buy you chocolate! I'll let you pick the music on the drive home! Just please stop crying!" Derek was shouting at her now and holding her shoulders. She allowed herself to cry against him and let him comfort her.

"You don't know what it's like." She said finally.

"I – what?" He said confusedly.

"You don't know what it's like to forget _everything! _My life is _missing, _Derek! I feel like a fifteen year old but when I look at you, you aren't the Derek I remember! And I'm going out with this total creep and even though I have my dream job and my apartment is gorgeous, I'm still alone! I hate this life! I just wish to go back in time and stay there!" She cried.

"Casey, even though I can't understand everything you're going through, you have to know that I'm here for you. I really... care about you, I always have, and I really want you to have the life you desire." Derek said softly.

Casey was silent for a second. Derek was being really kind to her. It was making those stupid butterflies in her stomach act up again.

She took one more brave little sniffle and tried to stand on her wobbly leg. "Thanks for everything Derek. You're actually a good guy."

"But don't tell anyone that. Let's just keep this 'sensitive and kind' moment to ourselves. I have a rep to protect you know." He said wrapped his arm around her waist to steady her. As they were leaving the rink, he said, "I have a surprise for you."

"Oh, not another joke photo album." She groaned.

"No." He said with a mischievous twinkle in his eye. "Something better."

They drove back to the house in silence. It was all quiet except for Casey's occasional sniffles. When they pulled into the driveway, there was already another car there.

"Whose car is that?" Casey asked.

"Bean's." Derek growled.

He burst into the house with Casey following him.

"What the hell is going on here?" He shouted.

Casey gasped. Marti was lying on the couch with her boyfriend _kissing. _

"Marti!" Casey exclaimed.

Marti scowled and blushed. "What?"

"Get out!" Derek yelled at Bean and dragged him up by his arm.

"Let go of me, dude!" Bean shouted back.

"You were running your hands all over my little sister!" And he sort of threw Bean in the direction in of the door.

"Derek, stop it!" Marti screamed.

Bean glared at Derek and said to Marti, "I'll see you later, babe."

"You will not!" Derek yelled back, but he was talking to a slammed shut door.

"Marti, you were supposed to be taking care of Joey." Casey reprimanded.

Marti scowled at her older step-sister, "He's fine. He's in bed now. It's not like I was neglecting him or something."

"Martha Ann, you are in so much trouble." Derek growled.

Casey winced. Marti's full name only got used when she was in _big _trouble.

"You're not the boss of me!" Marti screamed back.

"How could you be so reckless? He was just using you!" Derek shouted.

"Like how you used girls when you were his age?"

Casey gasped. It was just foolish of Marti to say that to Derek. Derek's face was quickly turning purple with rage. Casey stepped between them.

"Marti, go to bed." Casey gave her little step-sister a don't-argue-with-me face and Marti ran to her room and slammed her door hard enough to rattle the window panes.

"Casey!" Derek screamed at her.

Casey flinched. She wasn't used to people yelling at her this loudly or angrily.

"Derek, you need to calm down." She said softly.

"Did you see that guy feeling up my little sister? Did you hear what she said to me? How can you tell me too-"

Casey interrupted him by stepping closer to him and putting on of her hands on his chest and the other she caressed his face with.

"Derek." She whispered. "Take a deep breath."

He took a breath and looked into her eyes. He moved his hands to her waist and she fingered the hair at the back of his head.

"Casey." He whispered huskily. "I really-"

But Casey never heard what he was going to say, because they were interrupted by their little brother.

"Casey, Derek why was everyone yelling?" Joey asked sleepily.

"No reason, honey. I'll take you back to bed." Casey said kindly and ushered her brother upstairs all the while avoiding the gaze of Joey's oldest brother.

Casey got Joey all settled in his Star Wars sheets and hesitantly made her way back to the living room. Derek was sitting on the floor in front of the TV with a pile of DVDs around him.

"Hi, Derek." She said quietly.

He turned around and said "Hey."

"What's up?" She said as she sat down on the old faded couch.

"I still have a surprise for you remember?" He said, smirking.

"What is it?" She said eagerly.

"Watch this." He said and put one of the DVDs into the player.

"A home movie?" Casey squealed.

"On your sixteenth birthday, you had to have your appendix removed and you spent the night in the hospital. You missed the party I generously threw you so I taped it and you watched it in the hospital. I know. I'm a kind person." Derek said with a grin.

"You went to my party while I was in surgery? What kind of person does that? Derek Venturi, you are the rudest, most selfish, cruellest-"

"Oh shut up and watch the movie."

"_Heeeey! Welcome to Casey MacDonald's surprise sixteenth birthday!" _The Derek on the TV screen said.

_Emily pushed Derek out of the view of the camera and said, "Casey, I am so, so sorry. Max and I let Derek talk us into turning your dinner party into a real party which was of course really wrong. But I gotta say it's incredibly fun. But I-I mean I'm so sorry you couldn't come! And I'm so lucky to have you as a best friend! Because-"_

"_Yeah, whatever." Derek said and walked away from her. _

Derek filmed everyone at the party and they all wished her a happy birthday. People she didn't recognize but assumed were her friends said heartfelt birthday messages which Derek cut off half way through for being 'too mushy'.

_Derek holding the camera walked out of the restaurant and stood outside around the side of the building. He turned the camera to face him and smiled awkwardly._

"_So, Case..." He said quietly."Um, happy birthday I guess. Sorry for making your party into my party. But I did it for your own good! A fancy dinner for six at Smelly Nelly's would've been none to exciting. I _saved _you. You should be thanking me." _

Casey turned to glare at the real Derek, who instead of smirking or glaring back, was looking strangely embarrassed and awkward. Casey, confused, turned to look back at the TV screen.

"_And I just wanted to say... that I... well, even if you are a major pain in the ass, you're kind of... not _cool _exactly, but good in your own weird way. And if you were to leave... who would nag me about my homework? And so, even if I tease you constantly and am 'ruining your life', you're okay, Casey MacDonald. But if you tell anyone about what I said just now, I'll tell Max you have your wedding planned out." Derek said awkwardly but with a fierce note in his voice at the end. _

"_Hey, Derek!" Someone off the screen called. Derek moved the camera away from his face so it pointed to the ground._

"_Yeah?" He called back._

"_Are you coming back in? They're cutting the cake!" The random guy said._

"_Awesome! I'll be right there!" Derek said to the boy and the boy left._

_The camera was pointed back at Derek's face again and he said, "So don't ever change, Case, not for anybody. And even though I make fun of you, I like you the way you are. And I'm serious about telling Max about the wedding thing." He said quietly but sincerely and then the screen went dark._

Casey was left speechless. Derek actually said such kind words to her? She turned to look at her step-brother but found that he had evacuated his chair and was not anywhere in the room. He had left the pile of DVDs though. She put the next one in the player.

It was of her aunt's wedding. It had some shots of the ceremony but most of it was taken place at the Venturi residence where the reception was. The video included the behind the scenes footage which was basically a lot of shouting and chaos.

The next was a documentary style thing. The whole family was involved and Casey found it very odd to watch herself when she had no memory of doing these things. There was some chaos in this film as well, which seemed to be a pattern in this family.

Casey packed the movies up and went to bed. She got into her pajamas with thoughts of the home movies swimming through her brain. But the thought that kept repeating itself was Derek and what he had said to her on her sixteenth birthday.

**A/N okay i am feeling very sick (i have a cold) but i think i would feel much better if everyone reviewed! : ) **


	10. Chapter Nine

**A/N thanks for all the reviews and such amigos! I know a lot of people have been wondering what casey did to the family and in this chapter is a hint. I don't own anything but the plot and a brand new pair of pink high tops! **

"Mom, I want a race car for Christmas." Joey said seriously to his mother over a bowl of cereal.

"Well, maybe if you're good, Santa will bring it to you." Nora said while Derek and Casey grinned at each other.

"We need to start decorating. Christmas is coming up soon." Marti said.

"That's right and we'll need to get a tree and bring out the box with the stockings and Christmas mugs in it... oh there's so much to do! And I have to organize that meeting with Janet, and then there's that manager who flew in from Atlanta to see me..." Nora trailed off as she listed off the things she need to do.

"Mom, it's no big deal. You handle your work thing and I'll take care of the house." Casey said to her mother.

"If you do it, then it'll look like Santa's workshop in here, princess." Derek smirked at her.

"Derek, it's _supposed _to look like Santa's workshop. It's _Christmas." _Casey snapped back.

"You mean Derekus."

"What are you talking about?" Casey said, totally exasperated.

"Oh... nothing." Derek said, the easy grin sliding off his face as he turned away from her. "Just something from Christmas about eight years ago."

"Oh." Casey said sadly. Something else she was missing out on.

Nora caught onto the uncomfortable silence and quickly said, "Why don't you guys pick out a tree tonight? I have to work late and I know George does too. It'll be fun!"

So later that night, Derek drove Casey, Marti and Joey out to a tree farm outside of town and they walked among the rows of evergreen trees trying to decide which one was perfect.

"I like this one." Marti said, stroking the dark green needles of one tree.

"No, that one is too short." Derek said and moved on.

"What about this one then?" Casey asked gesturing to the tree to her right.

"Casey, seriously? That one is way too skinny!" Derek rolled his eyes and kept walking.

"Der-_ek! _Stop being so negative and pick one then!" Casey cried angrily at her stepbrother.

"Picking the perfect tree is an art, Casey! You can't just pick any old one! It has to be special to sit in the Venturi living room!"

"Derek, you are so incredibly arrogant!"

"Look, Case, I'm not being arrogant. It's just a fact of life."

"Der-_ek_!"

"Wow too 'Der-_ek_!'s in under five minutes! You must have serious anger problems!" Derek said with his typical smirk.

"You _make _me angry!" Casey cried, frustrated.

"Guys! What about this one?" Joey said pointing to a tree.

"Hmmm... that one is actually pretty good!" Derek said.

"It's perfect!" Casey exclaimed.

"The let's pay for it and go. I can't feel my legs." Marti said shivering.

"Well, I did tell you to wear warmer pants." Casey said disapprovingly.

Marti rolled her eyes and Derek went to find the owner of the tree farm. They paid for it and the owner brought out a saw and tied it to the roof of their car. They drove back home and pulled into the driveway. They all got out of the car and stared at the evergreen tree tied to their roof.

"Now how are we going to get it down?" Casey murmured.

"I have no idea. See you later!" Derek waved and started towards the house.

"Not so fast, Venturi! You're helping us!" Casey grabbed his arm and pulled him back.

They ended up having to untie and slide it off the car and it took all four of them to drag it into the house. They were covered in pine needles by the time it was sitting in the living room.

"Whew." Joey said. "That really tired me out. But a mug of hot chocolate with whipped cream would sure make me feel better!" He looked hopefully in Casey's direction.

She sighed, "Alright. I'll make you a hot chocolate. Marti, can you get the box of decorations from the basement and Derek can you vacuum up the pine needles?"

Casey had just handed Joey a hot mug of hot chocolate with whip cream and a cinnamon stick in it when she heard someone yell from the front hall.

"Derek?" Casey said as she hurried out of the kitchen. "What happened?"

"Um, how do you work the vacuum?" He asked sheepishly as he held up the hose of the vacuum. Casey looked around in horror. The whole front hall was covered in dust. Derek wore dust like a suit of armour and dust coated everything in sight. Obviously he had gotten the suck and blow mixed up.

"Derek you idiot!" Casey cried angrily. "This is going to take me forever to clean up! Why do you always have to ruin everything?"

Derek's teasing eyes shut down and he glared at her coldly. "Whatever Casey. Sorry I'm not perfect like everything else in your world." And he stomped up the stairs to his room.

Casey rubbed her tired eyes. Derek could be such a child. She sighed and vacuumed properly. She wiped off every dust covered surface and dragged out the box of Christmas decorations. Where did Marti get to?

"Casey, why did you yell at Derek?" Joey asked as he wandered out of the kitchen.

"Because he made a mess! He's always trying to drive me crazy!" Casey said, frustrated.

"I think it was an accident." Joey said hesitantly.

Casey was quiet for a second.

"Do you think so?" She asked her little brother.

He nodded and she sighed again. Great. She made a fool of herself in front of a guy who lived for moments like that and now she was taking advice from a seven year old.

She made up another hot chocolate complete with whip cream, a cinnamon stick and chocolate shavings. She carried it upstairs and knocked on her stepbrother's door.

"What?" He barked from inside.

"Derek, I'm sorry I yelled at you earlier!" Casey called.

"Go away Casey!"

"Derek, I said I was sorry!"

He swung open the door to face her. "Sometimes sorry doesn't cut it. I've put up with your temper tantrums for years! And it's not that you yelled at me, it's that whatever I do, I can never be good enough for perfect Casey MacDonald!"

"You think I'm perfect?" Casey said with a choked laugh. "I'm far from it! But you try everything you can to make me hate you! And I'm tired of it!"

"Oh Casey." Derek said awkwardly, but not exactly kindly. "You are so delusional."

"What do you mean?" Casey asked.

Derek didn't answer, instead he asked, "Is that hot chocolate?"

"Yeah, for you."

He perked up and took a sip, leaving a whip cream moustache across the top of his lips. Casey laughed and he looked at her confusedly.

"What?" He asked.

"You – you have moustache!" She said giggling.

He blushed and she wiped it off with her thumb. She slowed as she realized that she was touching his lips. He obviously had the same thought and she shuffled backwards, embarrassed.

"Let's finish setting up the decorations." She said awkwardly.

"Yeah sure. Good hot chocolate by the way." He said quietly.

Marti said she was going out with Bean and ignored the scowl on her older brother's face. Joey got bored with setting things up and ended up playing with a couple of the decorations. Casey turned on some Christmas music and everything was pretty peaceful. The phone ringing cut through that peace.

"Hello?" Casey said as she put down a plastic snowman and picked up the telephone.

"Merry Christmas! It's Emily!" Her best friend's voice said.

"Emily! Oh, Em! It's been so long!" Casey cried.

"Who's this?" Emily said slowly.

"It's – it's Casey!" Casey said, crushed.

"Oh... Casey... hi."

Casey was heartbroken. Emily was acting just like everyone else at the beginning.

"Em, I was in a car accident and I lost my memory. I'm staying at my mom and George's and I'm truly sorry if I did something to you but please don't be mad at me!" Casey said softly.

"Casey... I'm sorry. It's just... been awhile since we've spoken."

"Oh, what's new with you then?" Casey said, happy to have her friend speaking to her normally.

"Well, I married Sheldon. If you lost your memory, then you wouldn't know him. We have a daughter named Ava, she's two and we live in Newfoundland." Emily said proudly.

"Emily, I'm so proud of you! That sounds great!" Casey said warmly.

"Yeah... I really like it here. Though I miss everyone from back home sometimes. That's why I call the Venturi's every Christmas. But I haven't spoken to you in-"

"Three years? Yeah I heard something happened. Emily can you tell me about it?" Casey pleaded with her best friend.

"Casey... I really wish I could. But I have a feeling that if I told you, then certain people would be very angry with me." Emily said regretfully.

"Like Derek?" Casey said, scowling slightly. "Everyone keeps eluding about something that happened three years ago involving me, Derek and Truman. Emily, I can't remember anything! Can't you help me at all?"

"Well... okay. I won't tell you about the fight; I'll leave that to Derek but I will tell you that you and Derek were best friends all through university."

"What? No, Derek and I hate each other!" Casey cried incredulously.

"I think it's more of a play-hate thing. But anyways, in high school you didn't really get along but the sooner you got to graduation, the closer the two of you got. And then when you got to university and didn't know a soul but each other, you just kind of clicked together." Emily said slowly.

"I'm talking about Derek and I, who are you talking about?"

"Casey! Just let me finish! As I was saying, at first you would pretend that you hated him, but I could tell that you really enjoyed spending time with Derek and maybe that's because you lived together-"

"_What? _We _lived _together?"

"Because your mom and George thought it'd be cheaper in the long run! From what you told me, you two would have dinner together almost every night and you'd make him study charts and watch his hockey games and he'd go see your plays and made fun of you less."

Casey didn't think that was the kind of relationship ship she and Derek had _at all. _Fighting and ignoring each other sounded more correct but what did she know? She couldn't remember almost half her life.

"You two got really close and everything was good until your twenty-second birthday." Emily said.

"What happened on my twenty-second birthday?" Casey whispered.

"Ava, sweetie, stop it! Mommy's on the phone! Look, Casey I'm sorry but I have to go! Ava's acting up again! I'll talk to you later!" Emily said.

"Okay, bye Em."

"Merry Christmas!"

**A/N dun dun duh! Now you guys know more about casey and dereks relationship! Pretty please with dasey on top review? **


	11. Chapter Ten

**A/N bonjour amigos! Whats up? I still don't own LWD or anything at all except the idea for this fanfic. But please enjoy it anyways!**

Casey couldn't sleep. She had everything Emily told her still running through her head. She really couldn't believe that she and Derek used to be best friends. Doing things together willingly? Not being rude and sarcastic to each other? It was just hard to believe. After hours of tossing and turning she gave up and went down to the kitchen for a glass of water.

She tiptoed through the hallway and down the stairs. She was walking into the kitchen when she walked into something. She yelped but that something put a hand over her mouth and flicked on a light.

"Shut up! Do you want to wake up the whole family?" Derek hissed angrily.

Casey shook her head and Derek moved his hand away from her face.

"What are you doing down here at this hour? It's two o'clock in the morning!" Casey whispered.

"I couldn't sleep and I wanted a snack, got a problem with that princess?" Derek snapped back.

"No, I-" Casey stopped abruptly as her eyes caught something that was hanging from the doorframe.

Derek seemed to see it at the same time as she did. "Mistletoe." He said half in horror half in wonder.

Casey blushed and almost wanted to back away but she looked into Derek's eyes and couldn't move.

"Casey..." He said slowly.

"Derek, no. It – it's wrong." Casey mumbled.

"But it'd breaking Christmas tradition if we don't." He said huskily and glanced down at her lips.

Casey didn't know what to say. A part of her wanted this, wanted to kiss Derek, and the other part wanted to run upstairs and lock her bedroom door. But before she could make her final decision, Derek's lips had crashed against her own. It was shocking, this kiss. It was impatient and hungry and passionate. It was angry and fiery and just like Derek and Casey's relationship.

Derek had one hand on the small of her back and the other in between her shoulder blades. Casey's arms were wrapped around his neck and she was completely pressed against him. This was kind of her first kiss. Well, she had kissed Kyle Perkins at her fourteenth birthday party last year but that had really been more like a peck on the lips then an actual kiss. She was kind of happy that her first real kiss was with Derek. Well, the first real kiss she could remember.

They broke apart with lips red and quiet pants breaking the silence. Casey couldn't meet his eyes. She felt a little nauseous. She had just made out with her step-brother. Wasn't that against some law? Would she be going to hell?

Once again, it was like Derek could read her mind. "Casey, I-I'm sorry!"

She just shook her head, tears already fogging her blue eyes. She forgot all about her glass of water and ran upstairs to her bedroom. She collapsed onto the bed and curled up into a tiny ball. She was so confused. She didn't know what to think anymore. Her whole life was turned upside down. Everything was confusing and different! She wished she could go back to a time she could remember. But then again, if she could remember everything she had forgotten, she surely wouldn't be kissing Derek under the mistletoe if she went with what everyone has told her.

The next couple of days were awkward to say the least. She was too embarrassed to talk to Derek and he definitely didn't go out of his way to talk to her either. They were eating dinner as a family one night and everyone was there. Even George and Nora didn't have a work conflict and were sitting peacefully eating their roast chicken.

"So Derek," Nora said, "You have a hockey game tomorrow night?"

"Yep, in Toronto."

"Hmmm..." Nora said thoughtfully as she chewed her food.

"What's wrong?" Derek asked.

"Well, I'm not sure we can make this game, Derek. Your father will be working late and I can't leave the kids here alone and I can't bring them with me because it is a school night. I'm not sure anyone can come to this game, I'm sorry." Nora said.

"What about Casey?" George said. "She can go with Derek to see his game."

"No, it's okay!" Derek said quickly.

"Why not? I don't like when you have no one at your games to support you. And Casey is free anyways. Right, Case?" George asked, looking at her.

Casey forced out a tight smile and said through clenched teeth, "Right George. I would love to see your hockey game, Derek."

She became furiously involved with her dinner and didn't look up again for the rest of the meal. She wanted to go to Derek's hockey game but she knew it would be really awkward. She just wanted everything to go back to normal and she knew that sitting with Derek in a car alone for two and a half hours to get to Toronto would be less then fun.

She was right. They pulled away from the Venturi house in silence. He turned on the radio and she stared out of the window into the afternoon sunlight. It was two o'clock and they would be there by four thirty, enough time for the coach to have a talk with the team and maybe run a few drills, a quick supper then the game at seven.

"Casey..." Derek said slowly. "About the other night..."

Casey winced. She _so _didn't want to talk about this. How do you discuss the fact that you just played tonsil hockey with your step-brother and now maybe have feelings for him?

"What about it?" She asked awkwardly.

"I just wanted to know how you felt about it." Derek said, staring out the windshield.

"Oh." Casey said, blushing, "I..."

She really had no idea what to say. She saw his fingers clenched so tightly around the steering wheel, his knuckles were turning white.

"Let's not do this right now." She pleaded.

"...Fine." Derek muttered.

Casey felt quite shy around him. He was sort of her first kiss and she had never really been that intimate with another person before. He was also very handsome and grown up looking. Even though Casey knew she was twenty-five years old and was a grown woman, she still felt young and silly.

The rest of the journey was spent in agonizing silence. They pulled into the hockey rink and Derek got out and slammed the car door. He grabbed his hockey bag and walked away from the car leaving Casey to scramble after him. She saw Lisa sitting in the front row of the arena and joined her.

"Hello." Lisa said cheerfully.

"Where's Lily?" Casey asked.

"Staying with my mother. The loud noises of the game scare her. What's up with you?" Lisa asked.

The made quiet small talk for an hour while the team gathered for a meeting then at five thirty Derek came out and found her.

"Casey, the coach said we could have a quick supper now. Do you want to go somewhere?" He asked her.

"Alright, let's go." They made their way back to the car and Derek drove them to a half empty hole-in-the-wall diner. They ordered greasy fries and a double cheeseburger. Well, Derek did. Casey had a salad.

"So... I'm excited to watch your hockey game." Casey said would-be cheerfully.

Derek gave her a look. "Domwydome."

"Derek, chew, swallow, _then _talk."

Derek gulped down his food then said, "Don't lie to me. I know you hate hockey."

"But Emily said I always used to watch your hockey games!" Casey cried.

Derek stiffened then said, "That was a long time ago."

Casey put her hand over Derek's and whispered, "Can you tell me more about back then? About our time at university?"

"We went to Queen's." Derek finally said, "You were studying musical theatre dance and teaching. I was there on a hockey scholarship."

"Tell me more!" Casey said eagerly.

Derek shook his hand and Casey squeezed his hand and tried to meet his eye, he didn't look away when he said, "We were best friends, Case."

She blushed and said, "What happened? Please tell me! Everyone avoids the topic and says you should be the one to tell me! I want to know, Derek!"

Derek shook his head again and pulled his hand away from hers. "No, Casey."

"Derek, please!" Casey cried.

Derek looked like he was in severe pain. "Casey, you don't understand. It's really... oh, God, we're going to be late!" He cried as his eye caught the time on his watch.

"What? No, not yet!" Casey pleaded.

"Sorry, Case. The game starts in half an hour. Coach is going to have a fit." Derek said and rushed her out of the restaurant.

They went back to the arena and he hurried into the change room. Since she was with Derek, she didn't have to pay for a ticket and got to sit in the VIP booth. The arena was already beginning to fill up with people eager to watch the game between Toronto and New York.

Casey pouted as she sat down next to Lisa. "What's up, honey?" The coach's wife asked.

"Nothing. Something is going on and no one will tell me about it." Casey pouted.

"I'm sure you'll find out when the time is right." Lisa said maturely.

"Lisa, I kissed Derek!" Casey blurted out.

"Really? That's so cute!" Lisa said with a grin.

"No, it's really not!" Casey exclaimed, "He's my _step-brother!" _Casey lowered her voice as she said the dreaded 'S' word.

Lisa shrugged, "So, he's not your real brother. And I can tell he likes you. He talks about you at practices sometimes. And when you watch his games or practices, he plays better. And he looks up at the stands more often." Lisa said with a wink.

Casey smiled and their talk became more light-hearted and less dark. Casey focused on the game as best she could but Derek was right, she was never really interested in hockey. Still, her eyes never left the jersey with the name 'Venturi' on the back.

The drive home was more comfortable. Casey didn't bring up the kiss or what happened in university or on her twenty-second birthday. Derek wouldn't stop bragging about the four goals he scored and how he won the game and Casey couldn't stop rolling her eyes at him. The radio was on quietly and Derek kept flipping stations. A song came on the radio and Casey felt a sudden rush through her. She _knew _this song!

"Derek!" She screamed so suddenly that car swerved.

"What's wrong?" Derek cried.

"This song!" She shouted again.

Derek groaned and pulled the car over.

"Casey, you almost made us get in an accident for a _song?" _

Casey ignored him and turned the volume up.

_Does he watch your favorite movies?  
Does he hold you when you cry?  
Does he let you tell him all your favorite parts  
When you've seen it a million times?  
Does he sing to all your music  
While you dance to Purple Rain?  
Does he do all these things  
Like I used to?_

"Where do I know this song from?" Casey said, frustrated. She scrunched up her face and shut her eyes. She tried to focus on the music. Bits and pieces of a memory came to her. It was dark. It was loud. People were screaming. Lights were flashing. Derek was beside her. He was laughing. She was feeling strangely giddy. The taste of beer was in her mouth.

"Well, we did go and see their concert." Derek said, popping her memory bubble.

"What? Whose concert?"

"A Rocket to the Moon. They sing this song. It's called 'Like We Used To' and they're the only band that the both of us like. They were in town and we went to their concert. It was your twenty-second birthday present from me."

Casey's heart stopped. "My – my twenty-second birthday?" She repeated.

"Yeah, we had just graduated from Queen's two weeks before that and I took you to the concert for a surprise. I think I still have the CD in my car." Derek said and started rummaging around the car. He pulled it out from underneath the seat in the backseat and popped it into the player.

The first song started and Casey felt the same thing as before. She knew this song and had a bit of the memory of the concert. She wondered what happened at that concert that managed to ruin her whole life. She wanted to ask, but she also didn't want to ruin this moment. They were sitting in the dark on the freeway, Derek had his arm around her and they were just enjoying each other's company and the good music.

**A/N another clue about the big fight : ) please please please review! They make my day! But im not begging or anything ;) **


	12. Chapter Eleven

**A/N i was going to wait another day to post this but i got so many reviews and that made me so happy so here is the next chapter! to everyone who has reviwed, alerted or favourite my story – i know i don't thank each and everyone one of you personally but that doesn't mean i don't appreciate everything single review. Without you guys i probably would have given up a long time ago so thank you. Btw, i warn you: this chapter has much stronger language. Sorry if it offends you. **

Casey was fast asleep. She had fallen asleep before her head has even hit the pillow. She and Derek hadn't gotten back until after midnight. They had stayed on the side of the highway listening to that old CD and then still had the two and a half hour drive back. She was exhausted and had the 'Like We Used To' song running through her head. As she curled up in the warm embrace of her purple blanket she had the strangest dream...

_Derek held the door open for her as she stumbled into the living room giggling. She tried to be quiet, but she was slightly tipsy and everything seemed funny at that moment. She couldn't stop laughing, Derek tried to shush her but he was chuckling as well. They dropped onto the couch and he draped his arm around her._

"_Fun concert, huh?" He said with a grin._

_She nodded and hummed a few bars of her favourite song. She dropped her head onto his shoulder, "Thanks for taking me to the concert, Derek. It was so much fun!"_

_They were quiet for a second and then Casey was aware of Derek's warm breath on her cheek and that fact that his face was quite close to hers. And he was moving closer. She was in too much shock to do anything, but the feel of Derek's lips grazing her own jolted her away from him._

"_What the hell are you doing?" She hissed angrily._

"_What – what do you mean?" Derek said, his easy grin slowly leaving his face._

"_I have a _boyfriend, _you creep! You can't just go macking on taken girls!" Casey said shrilly._

"_Casey, calm down! I'm sorry okay!" Derek said, scowling._

"_No, it's not okay! Truman warned me something like this would happen!" Casey cried._

"_Truman?" Derek said with an ice cold glared on his face._

"_Yes, jackass, my _boyfriend! _He said you and your hockey playing goons were betting that you could get every girl in our year if you wanted so he warned me that you would probably try something even though I am your _step-sister _and that is incest!" Casey said with angry tears clouding her vision._

"_Casey, listen to me." He said grabbing her shoulders. She shook him off. He continued, "I would _never _do that to you!"_

"_You liar! You have no problem doing that to every girl on the planet! Why am I any different?"_

_Derek didn't answer, instead he stared intently at the rug on the floor._

"_Oh my God!" Casey said with a horrified little laugh, "You're in love with me!"_

_Derek just stared at her with those big brown eyes of his. Casey had to turn away. _

"_You're disgusting." She finally said._

"_Casey...!" Derek exclaimed._

"_I can't believe you. Truman was right about you all along! You're no good! I've stuck up for you for years to him, but now I finally believe him! I thought we were friends, Derek! Best friends! And more than that, we were siblings!" She cried. _

"_Step-siblings." Derek muttered miserably._

"_Same difference!" She sneered. _

_Suddenly, Derek's eye lost the hurt, confused look in them and was replaced by burning anger._

"_Whatever, Casey. You are such a little bitch I don't know why I've put up with you for so long! You are such a pain in the ass!" Derek shouted at her._

"I'm _a pain in the ass? Derek, you're the one who is a child trapped in a twenty-three year olds body! And the reason you've stuck with me for so long is because you are 'in love with me'!" Casey said with a cruel laugh._

"_Shut up! I know things that you would never belive!"_

"_Like what? Like you failed the first grade?" Casey laughed at him._

"_No, like your precious Truman is cheating on you with that skanky cousin of yours, Vicki!" Derek said, dangerously angry._

"_Don't you dare talk about Truman that way! And Vicki isn't a skank! _You _are, Derek Venturi!" Casey screamed at him._

"_At least I don't hook up with a criminal! Truman is such a poser! You know he does weed? And he steals from that store on the corner beside Queen's! Just because the owner is old and barely speaks English!" _

"_Shut up! Just shut up! I am so tired of all your bullshit! Truman does _not _do all of those things! Now I know why you wanted me to break up with him! You wanted me for yourself! Like that would ever happen. I'm not really into incest, you bastard." Casey screamed._

_Derek raised his hand as if to strike her but clenched his fist and stormed off._

"_Yeah that's right! Run off! Like you always do as soon as things get a little too hard to handle!" Casey called after him._

_By now, Marti was standing at the top of the stairs and George and Nora were standing in the doorway to the kitchen. Joey seemed to still be in bed. _

"_I just told you I _loved _you and you basically told me to go to hell! What do you want me to do, princess?" Derek yelled at her._

"_I hate you, Derek Venturi." Casey with loathing thick in her voice._

"_What's going on here?" Nora said with a note of panic in her voice._

"_Nothing! Stay out of it! Not everything is your business!" Casey screamed at her mother._

"_You watch your tone, young lady!" George said loudly._

"_Shut up! Why is everyone bothering me tonight?" _

"_Casey, you need to calm down." Derek said quietly, the first quiet thing he's said all night._

_She shook her head and glared at him. He took step down the stairs and tried to reach for her._

"_Don't touch me." She said warningly._

"_Casey..." Derek said, as if he didn't know what else to say._

_She slapped him. The sound rang long and loud in the living room of their family home._

"_I hate you all!" Casey shouted before she grabbed her coat and shoes and ran outside to call Truman to pick her up and take her far away from here._

Casey woke up with sweat covering her body and tears running down her face. That didn't happen. _Surely _that couldn't have happened. It was so unlike her! And Derek couldn't possibly... there was no way he could actually... _love _her! She was so awful to her whole family! If that really happened, no wonder everyone hated her! But she had been drinking that night, and Truman seemed to have influenced a lot of what she said. But Emily had said that Derek was her best friend! Why would she treat him that way? Was she just scared of his feelings for her? She had so many questions and zero answers so she decided to ask the one person who could answer them.

"Derek." She said shaking him awake.

"Mmm, what? Do you want to sleep in my bed again? Is something attacking your window?" He said, teasing sleepily.

"Are you in love with me?" She blurted out.

Derek froze. He opened his eyes and Casey could see no trace of drowsiness in them. "Why do you ask that, Casey?" He said calmly but seriously.

"I-I had a dream, Derek. We had just got home from the concert on my twenty-second birthday and you kissed me. You told me you loved me and we got into this huge fight and I yelled at you and my mom and then ran off with Truman. Did that really happen?" She asked him.

It took a minute for him to answer. "Yes." He finally said.

She shut her eyes and took a deep breath. "I'm so sorry."

He shrugged and said nothing.

"Did you really... love me?"

He fiddled with the hem of his t-shirt and said nothing for the longest time. "I don't think so."

"W-what?" Casey said.

"I was drunk. I wasn't thinking right."

"But what about the kiss under the mistletoe?" Casey whispered.

"It was a mistake. It meant nothing to me." Derek said coolly.

"Oh. I-I see." Casey said painfully. She was finding it was getting hard to breathe. It felt like her lungs were shrinking and she was stuck gasping for air.

"You're my step-sister, Case. It would be weird." He said standing up and attempting to smile at her.

"Well, I don't want to intrude on your company any longer then." Casey said as dignified as she could, with her being in her pyjamas with tears running down her face standing in front of her step-brother who was also the guy she might have feelings for.

"What do you mean?" Derek said, frowning a little.

"I think it's time I head back to Toronto. I don't have all my memories back but I have a few and it's not really necessary that I stay here." Casey said.

"You're leaving?" Derek said, looking a bit like a lost puppy. But Casey had little sympathy for him. He broke her heart.

"Of course. Nothing here means anything to me." She said coldly, echoing his words.

She went back into her room and fell into a restless sleep. She woke up early and packing her few belongings and called a cab. She then went downstairs to find Derek talking to her mother and George.

"You're going back to Toronto?" Her mother asked tearfully.

"Yes, I have more of my memories back and I think it's time I went home." Casey said.

"But _this _is your home!" Nora cried.

"A home is not a building, but the people inside it. My home is with Truman." Casey said. She wanted those words to hurt Derek and they did. She saw him flinch as if in pain.

"Fine then. Go. Just like last time." He said with a sneer.

She glanced coolly in his direction. She would not let him bait her into a fight.

A horn honked outside. "That's my taxi. Goodbye then. I'll call you at Christmas, I guess." Casey kissed her mother and George on the cheek and glared in her step-brother's direction. She then pulled her suitcase outside and drove in the taxi to the airport where she booked the next flight into Toronto.

The flight was short but tiring and Casey took another taxi to her apartment (thankfully she remembered where it was) and let herself in. There were a couple coats hanging on the rack and two pairs of shoes by the door. Casey was confused. No one was here, so who did they belong to? She wandered through her apartment but stopped outside the bedroom door. She could hear giggling and panting coming from inside. Casey burst into the room and let out of gasp of shock.

"What the hell if going on here?" She cried. For on her bed was her dear cousin Vicki and her darling ex-boyfriend Truman.

"Casey! You – you weren't supposed to be back for another week!" Truman said, trying in vain to cover his and Vicki's naked bodies.

"And you are supposed to be in New York! Or was this your plan from the beginning? Get me out of the way for a couple weeks so you can play house with my cousin!" Casey cried angrily.

"Chill, Case. I can share." Vicki said with a sickening wink.

"Out! Both of you!" Casey shouted.

"You're kicking me out!" Truman exclaimed incredulously.

"Yes! Now _leave!" _Casey yelled.

They both hurried to get dressed and Casey felt sick to her stomach that someone who was supposed to love her had cheated on her. Derek was right. Thank God she had broken up with Truman long ago.

When her creepy ex-boyfriend and slutty cousin were gone, Casey shut the door to the bedroom and tried to ignore the feelings of guilt and loneliness. She found a TV dinner in her freezer and ate in silence for the first time in a long time. She had no desire _at all _to sleep in the bed her ex-boyfriend had slept with her cousin in, so she slept in one of the guest rooms. She piled all the pillows around her and attempted to fight off the overwhelming feeling of loneliness that was filling her up. She had never spent the night completely alone in a house before so she was a little frightened. She cried herself to sleep wishing that she was curled up beside Derek instead of alone in Toronto.

**A/N dun dun duh! Now you all know the whole story! Casey was so rude to Derek because Truman had influenced her thoughts and she had been drinking and she was a little freaked out by his feelings for her. I know they were said to be best friends and they were. But Truman had been lying to her about Derek for a long time and she had been ignoring him but when Derek tried to kiss her, she finally believed Truman. Which was very silly of casey. Hope it wasn't too OOC and if you have any more questions, feel free to ask. Please review! **


	13. Chapter Twelve

**A/N so now everyone knows the truth about casey. Thanks so much for the reviews and such! Makes my day! I don't own anything, im doing this for pleasure not profit.**

Casey didn't know what to wear. She had this massive closet with racks upon racks of clothes and she still didn't know what to wear. Everything in there was expensive and grown up looking. Casey felt anything but mature and worthy of nice things. She felt like a silly little girl. Derek was a grown up. What would he want with her? And she was his step-sister. He was right. It would be wrong.

She settled on nice jeans and a dark green sweater. She left her hair down and put on only a little make up. She skipped breakfast and instead decided to watch all her favourite movies and read her favourite books. She had just finished watching the Notebook when she found a movie that brought back many painful memories.

She sat gingerly on the couch with her sixth cup of peppermint tea and The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants playing on the screen in front of her. Every scene reminded her of Derek and how he had made obnoxious comments every thirty seconds. And that was the night she had slept in his bed. She got up when the movie ended and hurriedly put the disc away before she did something silly like burst into tears.

She decided to take a walk. She put on her fancy black coat and designer boots and went all the way down the elevator to the street. She had no destination in mind so she just started walking. She tried in vain not to look at the happy couples holding hands and sharing hot chocolate or the laughing kids and their parents together. Every breath made her chest ache and made her miss her family more and more. She turned up the collar of her coat and kept walking.

It was mid afternoon by now and the streets were crowded with people Christmas shopping for their family. Casey sighed when she remembered she didn't have anything for anyone yet. She went into a toy store and had little bit of fun picking out something for Joey. She bought him a blow-up sled and a stuffed monkey. Next was Marti. She bought her a cowboy hat and a thing of body glitter. Somehow she knew Marti would like it.

She bought George a Starbucks gift card and an AC/DC CD. She knew that George liked rock music and hoped he would like this CD. For her mom she bought a beautiful blue sweater and sapphire earrings. Last but not least was Derek. She had no idea what to buy him. A part of her was still angry at him and said he didn't deserve a Christmas present but the majority of her inner self was aching for him and wanted to run to him and just hold him. So she was stuck in a dilemma. She decided to rush his Christmas present. An idea would come to her sooner or later. She stopped outside a store with an amazing window display and wondered if Derek would like anything in there. Someone left the store and she heard a few bars from the song that was playing inside,

_All I want for Christmas is you!_

Casey hurriedly moved away from the store. She would not go in there. She ended up just going home. She was tired, she was cold and she obviously wasn't going to find Derek a Christmas present in her current state of mind.

She dragged her feet into her apartment and took off her snowy coat and boots. She put a pot of tea on and heard someone banging at the door.

"I can't believe you left!" Lizzie said as soon as Casey opened the door.

"I – Lizzie what are you doing here?" Casey asked her little sister.

"Mom called me this morning to tell me to ask you why you left. I came here as soon as my last class finished up! Derek is a total wreck, Case! What's going on?" Lizzie cried.

"I got another memory! I remember the fight, Liz! The one where I left! I confronted Derek about it but he told me it was a mistake! That he felt nothing when he kissed me under the mistletoe!" Casey cried miserably.

"You kissed under the mistletoe?"

"Liz!"

"Never mind, but Derek really did love you. And I think he still does. You should've seen him for the first couple months after you left; he barely ate or slept at all! He hardly ever left his room and almost got kicked off the team several times! He was a mess and has never gotten over it! Until you came back, I hear he is so happy! Mom calls me all the time and she says that she thinks that Derek has feelings for you still!" Lizzie exclaimed.

Casey felt tears rising in her eyes, "No Lizzie, I don't think he does. It's better if I just stay here in Toronto."

"Casey," Lizzie pleaded. "Come home."

Casey shook her head and heard the phone ringing. She excused herself and picked it up.

"Hello?" She said into the receiver.

"Casey, it's mom!" Nora sounded frantic and worried.

"Mom, what's wrong?" Casey said anxiously.

"Is Derek there with you?"

"No." Casey tried not to sound bitter as she said that.

"Oh. Casey, he threw a fit a practice today and the coach kicked him off the team. Something about him fighting with the other players. And then he took off and no one has seen him since! He's not answering his cell and I thought he went to Toronto to see you!" Nora cried.

Casey felt the heavy weight of dread drop into her stomach and she gripped the phone tighter. "I haven't seen him, mom. But I'll look for him."

She hung up the phone and went back into the living room.

"Lizzie, Derek's missing!" Casey cried.

"What do you mean?" Lizzie said.

"I mean he freaked out at practice or something and then took off! No one has seen him since!" Casey said, panicked.

"I'll call Edwin and see if Derek has contacted him." Lizzie said reaching for her phone.

"Mom said she thinks Derek might've come to Toronto to see me."

"Then we'll have to look around for him." Lizzie said and then dialled Edwin's cell number. Casey used her own phone to try and call Derek.

After a full two minutes of ringing it went to voicemail. "Yo, what's up you've reached D-Vent! I'm not with my phone but leave a message and I might try and get back to you!"

Casey rolled her eyes and said quickly into the phone, "Derek, it's Casey. Where are you? Everyone is freaking out! Can you please answer your phone? I'm really worried about you!"

Casey hung up her phone the same time Lizzie hung up hers.

"Derek had called Edwin and didn't exactly say it, but Edwin is pretty sure Derek is in Toronto." Lizzie said, biting her lip anxiously.

"Then what should we do? Should we call the cops or something?"

"He's a grown man, Case. He hasn't been kidnapped and he's not in any danger. He just decided to leave home. It's not actually a crime." Lizzie said logically.

"Argh, but it should be! I just want him safe at home!" Casey cried.

"Why are you so concerned about Derek?" Her little sister said slyly.

"I-I'm not."

"Uh-huh."

"Lizzie... he's my step-brother. Of course I'm worried about him. If Edwin was missing, I'd be the same way." Casey said calmly.

"Sure, Case. But maybe you feel a bit stronger for Derek then you do for Edwin... And maybe, just maybe, that strong feeling has something to do with love..." Lizzie said coyly.

"Lizzie...no."

"Oh Casey, mom said you both were acting odd the morning you left and he immediately locked himself in his room for 12 hours straight! That means he willingly gave up eating for 12 hours because he was so upset by your leaving! And now you're so upset that no one knows where he is..."

"Stop, Liz. It's not like that."

"I think it is."

"Stop."

"You did say you kissed under the mistletoe and that you remember the fight. He's probably just upset or confused or something."

"Lizzie, no. It's not like that! He _hates _me! I was so awful to him back then and I so badly wish I could redo that moment but I can't! And when I asked him about it, he said he was wrong and could never love me! And the kiss was a mistake!" Casey said with tears pouring down her face.

"Casey... how do you feel about him?" Lizzie asked slowly.

Casey took a deep, shuddering breath and cried, "I'm in love with him! I love him so much, it hurts sometimes! But it could never work out, he's right. We're step-siblings and he's not interested in me anyways."

Lizzie reached over and hugged her older sister. Casey cried against Lizzie's shoulder and he sister held her and soothed her. Lizzie stroked her older sister's hair and Casey thought once again just how old Lizzie was. She was no longer the little tomboy who would run around playing games with Edwin. She was a grown up now. Casey wiped her eyes and sat up.

Lizzie poured her another cup of tea and said, "I'm pretty sure Derek feels the same way about you, Case."

Casey just shook her head.

"Well no matter how you think he feels about you, he's still somewhere in Toronto very upset and angry. We should still look for him." Lizzie said.

The girls picked up their coats and headed out the door.

**A/N whew. This one was alittle harder to write. Im suffering from mild writers block. Please review and tell me what you think! sorry its so short! **


	14. Chapter Thirteen

**A/N this story is finally coming to a close. Just a few chapters left and its done. Im kinda sad. I don't own LWD.**

"Casey, can we _please _go back now? I can't feel my toes!"

"Are you serious? Your step-brother is missing and all you care about is your toes?"

Casey marched through the busy streets of Toronto with her little sister reluctantly trailing after her. Casey had called Derek's cell thirteen more times and left him twenty-one texts and sixteen emails. He hadn't responded once. She had been out all day and when Lizzie's classes finished up, Casey had dragged her along as well. It was now past ten o'clock at night and Lizzie was exhausted and freezing.

"Casey, we're obviously not going to find him tonight. Let's go home! It looks like Derek doesn't want to be found and he's doing a pretty good job of hiding!" Lizzie cried, frustrated.

"But Liz-"

"No buts! I can tell your frozen solid as well, so just go home and I'll talk to you tomorrow." Lizzie said.

Lizzie got on a bus to head back to her dorm and Casey walked to the subway station but something caught her eye. She was passing by the restaurant that she and Derek had eaten at the night of his hockey game and Casey thought she saw him. She looked closer. The man did have the same shaggy brown hair as Derek. And he was about the build as well. The waitress came and dropped the bill down at his table and he paid and left. He was walking the opposite way of Casey but she turned around and chased after him.

"Derek!" She called out to him but he was too far away to hear. She ran as fast as she could down the crowded street and grabbed onto his jacket.

"Derek, didn't you hear me?" She panted. But she looked up and gasped. This was not Derek Venturi. This man had a full beard and green eyes instead of brown. "I-I'm so sorry!" Casey exclaimed, blushing furiously. She backed away from the stranger and ran off.

By the time she arrived at her apartment she was exhausted, freezing and humiliated. The elevator doors opened and she marched down the hallway to her penthouse apartment only to found a man hunched against the door.

"Derek!" She yelped in surprise.

"Wassup, Sapcey?"

"WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU? DO YOU KNOW THAT EVERYONE IN THE FAMILY IS FREAKING OUT? I'VE BEEN OUT LOOKING FOR YOU ALL DAY YOU JERK! I'VE BEEN WORRIED _SICK!" _She screamed at him.

"Chill, Case. I was at motel."

"ARGH, DEREK! WHY DO YOU HAVE TO MAKE EVRYTHING SO DIFFICULT?"

Derek's eyes narrowed. "At least I don't go around rejecting people because someone told me to."

"You don't need someone to tell you to reject someone. You do just fine on your own." Casey said, crossing her arms over her chest.

"What are you talking about?" Derek said, exasperated.

"The other night in your room. You said kissing me was a mistake and you never had any feelings for me." Casey said accusatorily.

"Well, that's how you feel about me, isn't it?" Derek shot back.

Casey didn't know what to say. She was too shy to admit that she had feelings for him but didn't want to be the first one to say it out loud.

"Is there a reason you're here?" Casey said, ignoring his question.

"I like the city."

"Uh-huh."

Casey and Derek stared at each other silently, each one daring the other to speak first.

"Fine." Derek said and took a deep breath. "I came here to see you. Happy?"

Yes in fact she was. But she wouldn't tell him that.

"What do you mean?" She asked carefully.

He dropped his gaze and stared at his shoes. "I mean... I felt bad about what I said to you and I wanted apologize."

"Oh." Casey couldn't fight off the feeling of disappointment. Somewhere in the back of her mind she had hoped that he had come to Toronto to tell her that he was in love with her.

"So... so I said I was sorry. I guess I'll go now." Derek said awkwardly and started towards the elevator.

"Wait!" Casey cried. "Do you – do you at least want to come in for tea or something? At least call our parents to tell them you're alright!"

They walked into her apartment and she went into the kitchen.

"Do you want something to eat?" She called out to him.

"Sure!" He yelled back from the family room as he flipped channels.

Casey opened up the cupboard door and pulled out pancake mix. She then proceeded to make it and added some chocolate chips. She was pouring the batter onto the pan and when they were golden brown called for her step-brother.

"Mmm, what smells so good?" He asked.

"I made chocolate chip pancakes with extra chocolate chips, just the way you like them!" Casey said cheerfully.

"How did you know chocolate ship pancakes are my favourite food? I mean, obviously you know, but how did you remember?" Derek asked, confused.

Casey stopped for a second. "I-I don't know. I just... knew that you liked chocolate chip pancakes. It was like just a regular thing, I didn't even have to think about it. Do you think this means that my memory is coming back stronger now? I've remembered many things recently, this is good!" Casey cried.

She beamed at him and he had the strangest look in his eyes before he strode over to her and kissed her. She stiffened in surprise and he backed off.

"Sorry." He muttered, his face absolutely beat red.

"You kissed me." She murmured, her eyes wide and her fingers touching her lips.

"You just looked so... i don't know. But you made me pancakes and when you got all excited about your memory it was kind of cute. So I just... kissed you." Derek said awkwardly.

"But I thought kissing me was a mistake."

Derek groaned, "It was never a mistake. I really like you, Case. But I thought that you would react the same way you did three years ago so I told you I felt nothing for you."

Casey couldn't breathe for a second.

"Alright then. I'm gonna go now. This has been completely embarrassing." He muttered awkwardly.

"Derek!" Casey cried. She didn't know what else to say. He looked at her with hopeful puppy dog eyes and she completely forgot about words.

She wrapped her arms around him and without worrying about anything, pressed her lips against his. With a moan of pleasure, Derek yanked her closer and ran his hands down the length of her spine, making her shiver. She felt his tongue touch her bottom lip and eagerly allowed him entrance. The kiss was wild and crazy and they were both so involved, they didn't hear someone else walk into the apartment and into the kitchen.

"Casey! Get off of him!" Truman shouted angrily.

Casey jumped away from Derek in surprise. "Truman!" She said, shocked. "I thought I told you to leave." She said with a glare.

"I came back to get a couple things and I find you all over your brother. That's disgusting, Casey! You're better then that!" Truman said coldly.

"_Don't _talk about Derek that way and I want you to leave, Truman. Right now." Casey said firmly.

"Yeah out." Derek smirked.

"Shut it, Venturi. You know she's just settling for you because you brainwashed her into thinking she was a part of some sort of twisted Brady Bunch. You're taking advantage of her! She thinks she's fifteen! You're being kind of sick." Truman said cruelly.

"You know what? I'm done with all your prissy boy bullshit. You're controlling and possessive towards Casey and just can't take that she finally realized it. So stop being so freaking immature and get out of Casey's apartment." Derek said.

"You wanna make me?" Truman said in a typical boy way.

"With pleasure." Derek growled back.

"No, stop it!" Casey said, jumping between them. "Truman, just get your stuff and go. I don't want to deal with you anymore! And Derek, calm down!"

The two men glared at each other and then Truman left the room.

"I _hate _that guy!" Derek burst out.

"Me too." Casey pouted.

Truman came back with a small duffel bag filled with his things. "Goodbye Casey. I'll see you around."

"No you won't!" Derek barked.

Truman glared icily at Derek and said to Casey, "For the record, I really am sorry for the way things happened."

Truman left. They could hear the front door shut behind him. Casey sighed with relief. She didn't realize how tense she was the whole time he was there until he left.

Derek draped his arm around her and pulled her close. Casey snuggled into him, inhaling his familiar smell. He leaned in close to her ear and whispered, "That a guy is such a douchebag."

"Yup. Want to eat the pancakes now?"

Casey had to microwave the pancakes since they were now cold because of Truman's untimely interruption. They were sitting at her kitchen table munching on pancakes and listening to Christmas music on the radio. It was after midnight by now and Casey was feeling kind of tired.

"Hey, Case?" Derek said.

"Yeah?" She said, looking up from her food.

He took a bite of pancakes and said with a mouthful of food, "IfinkIwuvoo."

"Um, what? I have no idea what you're saying." Casey said with a smile.

He swallowed and then said quietly, "I think I love you."

"You – you do?" Casey whispered.

"Yes. I know this relationship won't be easy. Hell, it'll be a challenge every day. But I really do love you. I have since I was fifteen years old." Derek said awkwardly.

"I love you to, Derek." Casey said, tears of joy fogging her vision.

"Aw, come on! Don't cry!" Derek whined.

"Oh shut up." Casey muttered, wiping her eyes.

"Can you make me more pancakes?" Derek asked.

"No, do it yourself. I'm tired."

"Please, Casey?" Derek shot her one look with his puppy dog eyes and she melted.

"Fine. But you're not getting any chocolate chips."

"Nooooo!"

**A/N i have no idea where the ending came from but its late and im tired. Sorry its been so long but ive been battling a disease called writers block. Its deadly. Review please and thank you! **


	15. Eplilogue

**A/N okay this is the very last chapter of memory. Thank you all so much for following it and reviewing at stuff! I am so happy that people actually took the time to read something ive written! I don't own LWD. This is the epilogue and is much shorter just so you know. **

"Merry Christmas!" Nora cried out as the family came down the stairs the morning of the twenty-fifth.

Joey immediately ran over to the presents and Marti went for the coffee. Derek and Casey had come home a few days ago and thankfully Coach Perry took Derek back on the team. Casey and Derek was officially a couple and the family was so happy for them. Lizzie and Edwin had come back from University around the same time as they go there and the house was as crazy as Casey remembered.

"Santa came!" Joey shouted. "Look at all those presents!"

"Yeah, buddy! And it looks like he ate all the cookies and milk!" Derek exclaimed then smirked at Casey. She smiled back because it was her and Derek who had eaten all the snacks last night.

"Present time?" George asked his wife.

"Alright. But let's take this slowly. One person opens a present at a time so we can enjoy everyone's gifts." Nora said.

Fifteen minutes later there was wrapping paper everywhere, everyone was shouting, half the presents had been unwrapped and no one was paying attention to anyone else.

Casey was curled up on the couch, drinking honey tea and smiling at her over-excited family members. Joey was screaming at the top of his voice and getting hyper off of the toys she had bought him. George was wearing a Santa hat and telling Edwin really cheesy jokes. Her mother and Lizzie were checking out the scarf that Casey had bought Lizzie and telling Derek to stop eating all the cinnamon buns.

Suddenly Derek dropped onto the couch next to Casey.

"Hey. Merry Christmas." He said with a smirk.

"Merry Christmas." She said sweetly and leaned up to kiss his cheek.

"I got you a present..." He said awkwardly with a slight blush on his cheeks. He thrusted a poorly wrapped package at her and avoided eye contact.

Casey opened it. Inside were an expensive digital camera and an empty scrapbook.

"I thought you might want a photo album with pictures you could actually remember." He said shyly.

"Oh, Derek!" Casey cried. Tears were fogging her blue eyes and she kissed him again. "This is the sweetest thing ever!"

He coughed awkwardly and looked away. "Yeah...well... you're welcome." He looked embarrassed but proud.

"I have a present for you as well." Casey said to her boyfriend. She handed him a plain white envelope with his name on the front.

He opened it up and grinned at her. "A Rocket to the Moon tickets?"

"I just thought we should go again because the last time was such a disaster. Hopefully this concert will end better. Derek, I am so sorry for the way I acted three years ago. I was terrible and there is no excuse for it. I'm sorry." She said quietly.

"Things were different then. But I still feel the same way, Case. I'm in love with you." Derek said quietly.

"I love you to, Derek." She said and he kissed her.

"Awww!"

Casey jumped away from Derek in surprise. She had forgotten they were in a room with their whole family. Marti was smiling at them and was the one who had said 'aw'. Joey was wrinkling his nose. "Gross!" He cried. "Get a room!"

Casey laughed and ruffled his hair. Edwin laughed and Lizzie suggested a snowball fight outside. Lizzie, Marti, Edwin and Joey raced outside shouting the whole way. Derek and Casey followed them out.

"I'm gonna get you, Casey!" Derek roared.

Casey shrieked with laughter but stopped when his snowball hit her in the face. She threw one back but missed. He tackled her into the snow and held her gaze for a second before kissing her gently on the lips. Casey melted into him. She was so crazily in love with him that when she was with him, she never thought about the fact that they were step-siblings, only that she loved him with her whole heart. Being with Derek was a constant battle, but one that she would never give up on.

The kiss ended and Derek moved his lips from hers. Before she had even time to think, he had slammed handful of snow into her face.

"DER-_EK!" _She screamed and chased after him as he ran off laughing. The snowball war was back on.

**A/N okay thats it folks. Thanks for reading. Please review and tell me what you thought about the entire story. They make me happy! : ) **


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